


Change of Heart

by xo_thefirst



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Dystopia, Androids, Blood, M/M, Slow Burn, Strangers to Lovers, Violence, i guess idk
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-20
Updated: 2017-08-20
Packaged: 2018-12-17 16:45:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 74,166
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11855655
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xo_thefirst/pseuds/xo_thefirst
Summary: There is Chanyeol Park, CEO of Park Industries, inherited by his family; there is Minseok, personal android and close friend to Mr. Chanyeol Park, who only serves in his best interest; and then there is Yixing Zhang, fighter of EVOLVE, who changes their (or, more specifically, Chanyeol’s) lives.





	Change of Heart

**Author's Note:**

> dear prompter, i fell in love with your prompt in the very beginning. it ran away with me and i must warn you and everyone else that this isn’t nearly as finished. i simply ran out of time, but i hope to complete this as soon as i can! dear mods, thank you for being so understanding and so, so lovely. thank you also to my beta, m!!

Welcome to COR.

As a highly interactive game, we welcome those of the upper class joining us today. We specialize in hosting entertainment in the form of strength and wit–something uncommon nowadays–and we request your skill and knowledge in perfecting our show. These games are televised amongst the rest of your peers, to provide a pastime that has long since been overdue, and we hope this program continues for years to come.

Prior to your arrival, you have completed several forms including player preferences and initial contract with EVOLVE. The administration panel has carefully read through your papers and has appropriately selected five available players based on those preferences. Ahead, you will find one of our attendants who will direct you to these players. We request you take your time in assessing each one as well as consider your preferences in terms of strength and defense. When you have decided, choose one that best suits your taste.

You are welcomed to perform a trial run with each available player. However, this will cost an additional fee. Ultimately, we request you either rent a player for an allotted amount of time or you buy out a player for your personal collection.

If you wish to decline this offer, you may leave now.  
If you wish to continue, please keep reading.

EVOLVE only hosts the best players around the country. We can guarantee you will not be disappointed with the entertainment and outcome. However, we must disclose that there will be no refunds if you find your player defective in any way though you are allowed to return your player for future games.

If you accept these conditions and wish to continue, please step forward to view our selections.

 

The holographic screen flickers, showcasing a hidden corridor behind it, and Chanyeol doesn’t hesitate in taking a step towards it. It wavers when he passes through it, only dispersing to illuminate the room once he leaves, and he eyes the closed doors that litter the hallway he’s in. There are no names, no embellished nameplates, to be found anywhere and he wants to snort at how predictable this place is.

EVOLVE isn’t a company that takes pride in hiding its presence in the city. It doesn’t care if it’s in the center of civilization or away from it. Instead, EVOLVE is known for being one of the most recognizable businesses throughout the world. No one really knows who first started it, who the first owner and player was, and it’s a testament in itself when rumors float around saying this establishment simply appeared out of nowhere.

It hasn’t even been in existence for long, twenty years maximum, yet Chanyeol has heard good words about it. He’s heard that those who participate enjoy it much more than those who simply watch from the comfort of home and it’s the reason why he’s decided to try it out today. He has already informed the administration panel he wants to perform a trial run, but it seems not even his name is enough for them to create a personalized introduction for him instead.

There is an attendant waiting for him at the end of the hall, an android with faintly glowing green eyes, and he watches as it bows slightly at the waist and extends an arm out towards an entranceway to his left. “Hello, Mr. Park,” the android greets, “On behalf of EVOLVE, I welcome you to your first experience with COR. Through this entrance, your five selected players are displayed. Each of the player’s statistics is located on a panel to the right of the front window. If you need assistance or have decided on a player to follow through with your trial run, please let me know. I will register your player under your name.”

Chanyeol nods, says a curt, “I will proceed,” and watches as the android lifts its head and enters a code next to the door. There’s an invisible panel, one Chanyeol assumes only androids can see, and he wonders if there’s a way to override that. Surely, technology isn’t as safe as it used to be decades ago.

Within seconds, Chanyeol is stepping foot into another area of the facility. It’s a large hallway with three clear rooms on each side and Chanyeol searches to find the last room on the right empty. True to the android’s words, there are five players situated throughout the corridor. They all appear to be human of varying sizes and gender and Chanyeol waits to read each player’s description before narrowing down his choices.

A cursory glance allows him to see that each of these players are humans, as listed in bold red at the top of each digital panel, and another glance tells him that he was given the choice between three men and two women. Though it’s common for women to have lower statistics, Chanyeol is pleasantly surprised to see these women having equal strength and defense compared to these men. He has always found equality between men and women interesting and he stares longer at the women’s profiles than he would have expected.

The one woman in the left second room is definitely a contender, one with a skill of stealth that is highly coveted, and he stares down at her slight figure through the clear glass walls. She isn’t pacing nor is she standing still. She eyes him much the same way he eyes her. Her name reads Yerim and Chanyeol suppresses a hum when he reads her profile further and finds her age. She is considerably young, but she is strong and quick. Chanyeol has read about the company’s frequently asked questions and he remembers one about age and if it affects a player’s statistics at all. To put it simply, it does but not by much. Players automatically retire when they hit the age of forty, so there is never a concern with a player’s statistics declining.

The hallway is practically quiet but Chanyeol can hear the soft footsteps of the android approaching him. “I have not yet decided,” he informs, hearing its footsteps stop, before he turns to examine the other side of the corridor.

There are only two players on this side, a male and a female, yet this other female dulls in comparison to Yerim. She even dulls in comparison to the male next to her. This male player is obviously fit–all of the players’ outfits are form fitting, showing off their strengths–but it’s his dull eyes that draw Chanyeol in. There isn’t a simmering fire burning behind his eyes, unlike the rest present, and there is a clear red plus at the bottom of his profile. It reads as hemophilia as his medical condition and that confuses Chanyeol more than the random lack of real estate in the world.

“Android,” he calls out, listening for its soft footsteps. “Concern.”

“Yes, sir.”

“I did not approve of a player with a medical condition within my forms.”

“Yes, sir,” the android answers, before it pauses for a moment, retrieving the information he needs. “Yixing Zhang matches ninety-four percent of your preferences and has had previous experiences with the games. He is desirable to many though his medical condition is his downfall. EVOLVE has chosen to include him within your set choices due to his high match rate. There is no absolute cure for hemophilia, but there is continued treatment for it if the condition worsens.”

Chanyeol frowns at the answer, continuing to eye Yixing as he stands still in front of him, and he isn’t sure why he stands there for as long as he does. There isn’t any need to choose him if he wants to succeed in his first round of games, in his first tournament. “How many times has he needed treatment?”

“Four, sir.”

“How long has he been with EVOLVE?”

“Five years, sir.”

“How many battles?”

“Seven hundred and eighty-eight, sir.”

“How many victories?”

“Six hundred and ninety-seven, sir.”

Chanyeol’s lips quirk at the information, impressed with the player’s history. “Has he ever been bought outright?”

“Once, sir.”

“Rented?”

“Twenty-two times, sir.”

“Yet he always returns because of his condition,” Chanyeol muses.

“That is correct, sir.”

Silence falls between them and Chanyeol wonders if any of the players can hear his conversation with the android. Though, he supposes not with their lack of reaction to his words. Chanyeol turns, sets his eyes on Yerim again who is still eyeing him. “Android, how long has she been with EVOLVE?” he asks, watching as the simmering fire in Yerim’s eyes brighten when he opens his mouth.

“One year, sir.”

“What is our match rate?”

“Eighty-seven percent, sir.”

The percentage rate isn’t as high compared to his and Yixing’s, but she doesn’t have a medical condition. “How many battles?”

“One hundred and ninety-two, sir.”

“How many victories?”

“One hundred and one, sir.”

Chanyeol takes in the information. He mulls it over in his head, thinking of the pros and cons of each player, and decides. “Android,” he calls out, turning fully to it. “I request to use my trial run with Yerim. If I am not satisfied, I request a second trial run with Yixing.” Chanyeol watches, as the android remains quiet, processing his words, before it opens its mouth again.

“Each trial run costs two point five million won, sir,” the android informs. “If you wish to continue, please follow me.”

Without taking a glance back, without regretting his choice, he follows after the android. He hears the quiet _whoosh_ as a door opens and he thinks it must be Yerim’s, since the end of the hallway in front of them doesn’t open until they’re a mere meter away. This entrance is quiet, on the opposite side from where they came from, and it leads to several more corridors within the building.

Once they make it to a small room, barren except for a single couch and table, the android pauses before turning to face him. “I request for your first payment, sir,” it says, holding its hand out and bowing slightly at the waist again. “I will scan your code when you are ready.”

Chanyeol lifts his hand at the request. There is a barcode imprinted underneath the skin of his left wrist, where it automatically connects to his bank account, and he waits as the android in front of him tugs his hand a little closer. The barcode is practically invisible to the naked eye–only those of the upper class has one at the age of twenty-one–but he can see when the android scans it. Its eyes glow a faint blue. “Pass code, sir?” Chanyeol isn’t an idiot when it comes to money. He doesn’t verbally say his pass code to anyone unless they’re in a secured facility with no cameras and no technology in the room.

“I will perform it manually,” he says instead, watching as the android lowers its head in acceptance.

Chanyeol reaches forward with his right hand. He runs his fingers along the side of the android’s neck and searches for the series of buttons hidden underneath its synthetic skin. He inserts his code before pressing the pad of his fourth finger at the base of the android’s scalp for it to scan his print as well. Minutes pass as they stand there, Chanyeol eyeing the android in front of him for any complications.

“Transfer complete,” the android informs, lifting its head the moment Chanyeol releases his grip on its neck.

“Chanyeol Park, birth year one-nine-nine-two. Code number one-one-two-seven. Erase.” Chanyeol waits for the android’s eyes to glow a soft red before he tugs his sleeve back down to cover his wrist. All traces of his prints should be erased from this android’s memory bank.

Moments later, he’s taken through several rooms and hallways, where he receives a small headpiece that wraps around his left ear and extends slightly to the outer section of his left cheek. He continues following after the android and isn’t surprised to see a few other acquaintances wandering about with their player in tow.

“Player Yerim is waiting in Arena Two,” the android addresses, before they stop in front of a nondescript door. “Please be advised players have a set of key words programmed but are able to adapt to your style after directly talking to them for ten minutes straight. To catch the attention of your player, call out your player’s name or your own and they will respond to you, should your attention be elsewhere during the match.”

“Accepted,” Chanyeol answers.

“Your trial run will begin now,” the android continues, as it opens the door for him. “Your opponent is a regular within EVOLVE and has recently become one of the administrative panel.”

When Chanyeol enters the room, he’s surprised to find one of his friends sitting in the second seat farthest from the door. Nothing is said as he takes his seat next to him nor is anything said as he stares in front of him into the large open arena below them. The only time something is said is when he hears the clinking of ice, the hissing of a bottle opening and liquid spilling into a glass, and when a different android attendant leaves the room to give them privacy.

“Glad to see you’ve changed your mind, Park.”

“If I knew you’d be my opponent, Do, I would’ve come better prepared,” Chanyeol answers back, glancing at the other out of the corner of his eye. He sees Kyungsoo’s lips quirk up before it disappears behind his glass of liquor. “I’m assuming Baekhyun is your player again.”

“He has the highest win streak thus far. Of course, he’s my player again.” Kyungsoo hums, as he sets his glass down on the table between them, before he hooks his own headpiece on and taps it a couple times. “I see you’ve chosen Yerim. She’s tough to control. I was surprised when the panel decided to place her into your group.”

Chanyeol nods quietly before he takes his own sip of alcohol. It burns deliciously down his throat, wakes him up a little more than the sudden adrenaline pumping through his veins, and his eyes dart around the area to see if this match will be televised or not.

“Trial runs are typically not recorded,” Kyungsoo informs. “This is simply for you. EVOLVE takes great pride in creating the best conditions for a worthy battle.”

Chanyeol grimaces, trying to relax further into his seat. He can see Yerim and Baekhyun standing in the arena below them, staring at each other, yet he still doesn’t know how they can hear their every command. “Congratulations on the promotion,” he ends up saying, copying Kyungsoo’s actions and tapping on his earpiece twice.

Kyungsoo’s voice is soft, almost uncharacteristically so, when he says, “Thank you.” But then it disappears a second later, his voice louder and commanding. “Baekhyun, fight.”

It almost seems to happen in slow motion. Baekhyun runs for Yerim and Chanyeol struggles to speak, to command “Yerim, attack” because Baekhyun is known to be quick and witty. He doesn’t need special orders from Kyungsoo to know what to do unlike most pairs within this business.

“As you know, Chanyeol,” Kyungsoo continues to speak, sparing a glance at the fight in front of them. “There is a No Kill policy within these games. This is only overruled by a specific sequence of words if a situation deems it necessary.” Chanyeol does know this. What he doesn’t know is how to control Yerim into defending more than attacking. “I see that you are verging into the field of panic, so I find this necessary to explain. It takes multiple battles to be able to control your player as you wish. Trial runs are more of a moneymaker within this company. If you wish to win a trial run, you should have chosen a player who has a much higher percentage match rate with you.”

“Yerim, dodge,” Chanyeol almost shouts, watching as Yerim ducks but immediately releases an uppercut right after. It barely hits Baekhyun, but then he’s spinning and kicking her in the stomach. He’s about to open his mouth, to ask if she’s alright, but then he’s taken aback by the thought process, the simple gesture. She gets up anyways. “Yerim, fight.”

There’s a moment of silence, where Chanyeol is too engrossed in the fight below them, and he doesn’t even realize Kyungsoo has been staring at him until he finally takes a breather after telling Yerim to attack once more. He leans back to sip on his drink and he raises an eyebrow at Kyungsoo.

“They don’t feel pain,” Kyungsoo says slowly, almost as if gauging his reaction. “You must have questions that weren’t already answered within the website.”

Chanyeol isn’t sure. He eyes the clock on the far wall. There’s usually a timer present when the battle is official, but he guesses there is no time limit when it comes to a trial run. It’s only to see how capable Yerim is working with him but so far, he thinks it’s going well. “I have chosen to proceed with a second trial run if this one doesn’t work out,” he discloses, watching as Kyungsoo’s lips purse the slightest bit when he hums. “What happens if this doesn’t work out?”

“She simply goes back with the rest to storage,” Kyungsoo answers, already appearing bored with the fight, even as Baekhyun suffers a punch or two. “She gets prepped for the next buyer like the rest of them.”

Chanyeol hasn’t been curious since he was a young child. He used to wonder about his next meals, the next time he saw his playmates his parents set up for him, and whenever his parents left for business so he could run around in their house however many times he wanted. Nowadays though, especially since he outgrew the adolescence stage, he’s lost that interest. He’s become bored like the rest of society and it’s the reason why he took up Kyungsoo’s offer to visit EVOLVE. He’s watched the matches on his holographic screen before, but never one in person. He almost winces when he sees Baekhyun land a punch to Yerim’s face.

“How do the players get prepped?” he asks quietly, not daring to look at Kyungsoo for his answer. He doesn’t know how Kyungsoo will react to his questions, his apparent interest, because those hits look like they hurt.

“Medical attention, healthy meals, all of that,” Kyungsoo answers without a second thought. “Her abilities get retested every time she’s used–same for the other players.”

“Yerim, dodge,” Chanyeol hurries says, watching as Yerim defies his command and rushes towards Baekhyun instead. “Yerim, defend.” She doesn’t follow his order and Chanyeol can feel his teeth clench without his knowledge. “I understand players are allowed to leave the facility if they are bought,” Chanyeol continues on, anyways, finally turning to face Kyungsoo.

Kyungsoo side glances him, before returning his attention to the fight below them. “Baekhyun, disengage.” It catches Chanyeol’s attention, the way Baekhyun moves like a blur out of the corners of his eyes, and he looks down to find Baekhyun jumping back away from Yerim. “Players are only allowed to leave the facility if the request has been approved and the owner has been thoroughly inspected. For the owner’s safety, players are typically not allowed to leave the premises.”

Chanyeol watches as Yerim takes a step towards Baekhyun, “Yerim, disengage.” She pauses at his command, stilling, before she takes steps backwards instead. Chanyeol releases the breath he didn’t know he’d been holding, wondering if Yerim was going to follow his order or not, but then he looks to Kyungsoo when he removes his earpiece. “I’ve seen Baekhyun leave the facility before.”

Nodding, Kyungsoo slips the device into his breast pocket before turning to face him. “I was approved last year. Baekhyun is allowed to leave as long as I am present by his side twenty-four seven.” The corners of his lips quirk up then, almost a smirk, and maybe making its way into a smile. “He proves to be a useful bodyguard as well, when it’s needed.”

“What?” Chanyeol asks, confused, because why would any of them need bodyguards when their security is guaranteed since birth?

“I suggest you find a new player,” Kyungsoo says instead, moving to stand. His gaze is set on Baekhyun in the room below them, where he’s still facing Yerim, but when Kyungsoo speaks again, he faces him next. “If you want to win, choose a player who has a higher match rate with you. It’s clear Yerim is not your best choice. Baekhyun would’ve injured her far too easily if the match continued.”

Chanyeol wants to ask how he can tell. He wants to stand up and argue because he sees potential in Yerim. He’s older than Kyungsoo by a couple of months; Kyungsoo should be listening to _him_.

“Before you overreact,” Kyungsoo continues, eyeing him. “Yerim is still a great player, but she does not suit you. To win, you and your player need a certain connection with potential and promise.” He hums then, looking back to Baekhyun who hasn’t moved from his spot, before taking out his earpiece again and putting it on. “Baekhyun, return.” Within seconds, Baekhyun is turning around to leave the room and Kyungsoo is removing his earpiece again. “I advise you continue on with your second trial run.”

Frowning, Chanyeol stands up. He hears the door open to the left of him and he turns in time to see the android from before entering the room they’re in.

“I won’t be your opponent next time,” Kyungsoo informs, offering him a slight smile when he faces him again. “Your opponent will most likely be someone else from the panel and will be sitting in the opposite room.” He tilts his head to the area across the gym, where there’s a similar glass room situated above the arena. “I wish you luck with your second player.”

Chanyeol remains quiet as Kyungsoo leaves through the other door, opposite of where the android came through. He doesn’t see Baekhyun anywhere near this room, but Yerim is still present in the gym below, awaiting orders. “Yerim, return,” he eventually says, watching as she turns and exits the arena much in the same way Baekhyun did.

“How was your experience, sir?” the android asks, eyes analyzing his reactions and expressions. “You seem puzzled.”

“To say the least,” Chanyeol mutters, trying hard not to bark out a harsh laugh. He turns to face it, stifling back a defeated sigh. “I request a trial run with Yixing.”

The android takes a moment to process his request, but then it nods before it bends slightly at the waist with its hand out again. “I request for your first payment, sir. I will scan your code when you are ready.”

 

Chanyeol’s next opponent is an elderly woman with a younger looking female player. The fighter is almost as tall as Yerim was, but she’s slighter, probably trickier to attack. In contrast, Yixing is taller, seemingly stronger, but it feels like his presence is lacking. It’s not overbearing and he doesn’t cast the same amount of prestige and wonder like Baekhyun or the raging fire like Yerim in the previous battle. But when their opponent finally moves, Chanyeol is taken aback by how quick Yixing is to dodge and reflect all of her attacks.

“Yixing, kick,” Chanyeol hurriedly says, watching as Yixing spins before landing a kick in the woman’s stomach. “Yixing, dodge.”

There are no commentaries, no praises or criticisms, but Chanyeol feels like he’s found the player just for him. It almost looks like a dance, the way Yixing moves to attack and defend, and Chanyeol finds himself forgetting to command him when Yixing’s reflexes are quicker than his thought process.

Suddenly, the other fighter jumps back, both her and Yixing pausing to catch their breaths, and Chanyeol looks up to eye the woman across the arena from him. There aren’t any emotions on her face and Chanyeol isn’t sure what to do until her mouth opens and then her player is walking away and out of the arena.

“Yixing, return,” he copies, watching as Yixing simply turns around and leaves. Chanyeol doesn’t know where he goes, but he can hear the door to the room opening again to show the android returning once more.

“You seem satisfied, sir,” the android informs, analyzing him again. “How was your experience?”

“Much better than the first,” Chanyeol answers, removing his earpiece to hold in his hand. He stands, stretching his back slightly, before turning to the android. “I am satisfied.” In response, the android doesn’t move. It stays there, blinking at him, and Chanyeol only thinks about it for a minute longer. “I request to rent out Yixing Zhang.”

“Of course, sir. I request for your second payment to complement your first. It will be another three million won, sir. I will scan your code when you are ready.”

Chanyeol freezes, eyes widening at hearing how much renting this one player costs. “Three million won?” he repeats, completely surprised. He’s heard the average buy out rate is six million won. The most he’s heard is eight million won, but that’s only in the case of the best players EVOLVE has. Hell, Kyungsoo told him he bought out Baekhyun for more than that. But the average rent rate is two point five million won at the most– what makes Yixing so special? “Why?” he asks next, watching as the android straightens and drops its hand to its side.

“Yes, sir,” the android confirms, eyes glowing a faint green as it processes his question. “Yixing Zhang is considered one of the best fighters within EVOLVE. He ranks in the top five choices in terms of favor and experience. Thus, his expenses are considerably higher than those within his group.” The android pauses, processes. “Yixing Zhang is also one of few who has a medical condition. This results in a higher price. Do you wish to continue with your purchase?”

Chanyeol doesn’t know why he asks, but he can’t help it, looking back to the empty arena next to them. “How much will it cost to buy him out?” If it’s going to be cheaper than renting him, he might as well. Money isn’t really an issue with him anyways. He just didn’t expect everything to turn out like… _this_.

“An additional five point five million won to the first and second payments, sir.”

He swears he almost chokes. “Does this include any medical expenses if he sustains injuries within the facility?”

“One million won will cover any medical emergencies sustained within the facility due to a battle, sir. It will be added to Yixing Zhang’s base price, if you wish.”

Chanyeol stares at the android, as the faint green glow fades back to black, and he isn’t exactly sure what he should do. Yixing barely needed any commands from him to fight well and his opponent didn’t really give him any indication their match was good or bad. He assumes it was good. There weren’t any other signs to show it wasn’t. He grimaces. If Kyungsoo were here, he would’ve given his input. “May I see Yixing in person? I will decide then.”

The android stays silent for a moment, blinking at him once more, before it tilts its head in submission. “Yes, sir. Please follow me.”

When they leave the room, Chanyeol is taken down several floors through an elevator and hallways. He doesn’t recognize where they’re going but he sees Kyungsoo and Baekhyun in passing through another hallway. Kyungsoo doesn’t see him, but Baekhyun does and Chanyeol isn’t sure but he thinks he sees something flicker within Baekhyun’s eyes. He thinks he sees a faint smile on Kyungsoo’s lips.

“Yixing is waiting in this room,” the android suddenly announces, pulling his attention away from another pair walking through the same hallway they’re in. They stop outside a door with _Waiting One_ embossed in silver on the front and Chanyeol takes in a deep breath when the android opens the door for him.

Yixing is standing in the center of the small room, where there’s a table and chair in the corner, and his back is turned to them. He’s facing out the glass window that shows another hallway. He doesn’t move, doesn’t flinch when Chanyeol steps inside before the android, and he forgets players don’t move without their commands. “Yixing, turn.” Within seconds, Yixing is turning around. His eyes are still dull and there are no scars present where his skin shows. He appears as he did before the fight and that’s impressive.

Stepping closer, Chanyeol notices Yixing’s height. He has to stare down at him to examine him closely yet Yixing doesn’t flinch away or stare back up at him. He continues to look ahead, blinking every few seconds, and Chanyeol thinks this investment might be worth it.

“Yixing, how severe is your medical condition?” he asks, wondering if this player will talk. There’s always a chance they don’t talk–it’s considered _normal_ if they don’t talk–but for the price he’s going to pay, he quietly hopes this one talks. He’s surprised by how soft Yixing’s voice actually is.

“There is an imperfection with my blood quality, sir,” Yixing says, quietly. “If injured severely, I will continue to bleed out without necessary blood clotting medication. Currently, it is not as severe as it has been in the past, due to taking the necessary amount of medication over the past two years.”

Chanyeol hums shortly, “I see,” before he walks around Yixing once. He eyes him, thinks about the probability of winning future matches, because Yixing is truly the type of player he was envisioning when he filled out the initial paperwork. He looks over Yixing’s shoulder, towards the android still waiting by the entrance of the room. “I request to buy out Yixing Zhang.”

The android blinks. “If you wish to add medical coverage within the facility, it will be an additional one million won,” it says. “Do you desire this?”

Chanyeol thinks about it. He stares at the android before looking to Yixing before him. He can only see the back of his head from this angle, but he doesn’t need to see his face to make his decision. “Yes,” he answers, watching as the android’s eyes glow a faint green. “Add it.”

“Of course, sir,” the android says, tilting its head down in submission while sticking its hand out. “I will scan your code when you are ready.”

Within minutes, Chanyeol is erasing his information from the android’s memory bank. The purchase is complete and he looks over his shoulder to see Yixing’s dull stare still on him. There’s no expression on his face and Chanyeol isn’t sure how to continue this process. He can’t take Yixing out of the facility. “Android, where will Yixing stay when I am not present?” he asks, turning back to the android.

“He will be moved to a different sector of the facility.”

Chanyeol nods his approval before walking around Yixing again to stand in front of him. He supposes nothing changes drastically. There aren’t glasses of champagne being brought in by other androids and no congratulations for buying his first player, but he guesses it’s enough to see Yixing finally look up at him, though his eyes remain dull, like there’s barely any life in him. “Android, will you be escorting him to the new sector?” he asks, not even turning around to stare at the other. It’s interesting enough, being in this position, where Yixing simply blinks at him, unmoving.

“If you wish, sir,” the android answers. “There is further paperwork you need to fill out. Another of my kind will escort you to the administrative sector to complete it.”

Yixing blinks again and Chanyeol wonders, for a moment, how Yixing, Baekhyun, and Yerim are able to hear their commands through the earpiece when none of them have one. “I request you escort Yixing to the new sector. I expect him to be in peak condition when I visit tomorrow.”

“Yes, sir.”

It takes a few more minutes, where Chanyeol simply stares back at Yixing, and it’s strange. Yixing doesn’t show any hint of any emotion unlike the other fighters he’s seen, where there’s a small flicker of fire in their eyes when they fight, but even then, Yixing didn’t have that. He looks as empty as the androids around him used to appear, before they were being programmed to experience basic emotions. He feels the need to tell Yixing he will meet him again tomorrow, but he refrains.

“Sir, your escort to the administrative sector is here.”

Chanyeol frowns, a gentle downturn of his lips, before he spins on his heels and searches for the second android. It doesn’t look much different than the other one he’s been following all day and he takes a step to the side to allow full view of his player. “I thank you,” Chanyeol says, out of politeness. He glances to the side, where Yixing remains still, and he realizes last minute what he needs to say when the androids don’t move either. “Yixing, allow this android to escort you to the new sector.” It’s only then that Yixing moves, tilting his head down slightly in the form of a nod, before he’s walking towards the pair of androids. He keeps walking when the first one turns to leave the room and Chanyeol stays put as he watches him go.

Once he no longer hears their footsteps, he turns to the other android, waiting for directions. “Android, I request to complete the paperwork in buying out a player.”

The android’s eyes glow a faint green before it bends slightly at the waist. “I will lead you to the administrative sector, Mr. Park,” it says, before it’s straightening and turning to walk out of the room. “Follow me, sir.”

Chanyeol does so. He follows the android down hallways and rooms, hears the cheering of a crowd within one of the arenas, and searches for a monitor of the battle taking place. It takes a few minutes for the view to pan out and he recognizes the elderly owners with their new players from the match a week ago. It’s a rematch and the woman in blue is winning.

“I knew you were going to buy him out” comes Kyungsoo’s voice. He sounds amused, smug even, and Chanyeol looks away from the screen to see Kyungsoo standing down the hallway from him. He has his hands in his suit pockets, standing just outside a doorway, and Chanyeol hums at the realization. He almost laughs when he sees Kyungsoo jerk his head back slightly, towards the room behind him. “Thank you,” he tells the android. “You may leave.”

Once Chanyeol follows Kyungsoo into the room, he raises a brow at seeing Baekhyun close the door behind them. “You got your own office now,” he comments, watching as Baekhyun takes a seat in the far chair in the corner.

“Yeah,” Kyungsoo confirms, sitting behind his desk and gesturing for Chanyeol to do the same in the seat in front of him. “What good is my player if he tires his legs out standing all day?” he questions, making Chanyeol look back at Baekhyun to see him staring at him in return. “Anyways, Android ZNG-008 sent your information to the administrative panel after you bought your player. I informed the rest I will secure your paperwork and that your highest satisfaction is met.”

Chanyeol nods as he unbuttons his suit jacket, letting it hang open as he makes himself comfortable in the leather chair. “Were you the one who insisted Yixing be placed in my selection?” He barely catches it, the way Kyungsoo glances over his shoulder towards Baekhyun, but he does and he doesn’t know why.

“It was a mutual decision based on your preferences and the administrative panel,” Kyungsoo answers, before he’s reaching forward and tapping the desk in front of him. He’s pulling up files, swiping his fingers across the entire surface, and Chanyeol waits until Kyungsoo is standing again. He’s leaning over his desk, twisting his fingers on the surface until whatever document is facing him is facing Chanyeol instead, and Chanyeol follows his lead in standing to see what’s on there.

More files about disclaimers and waivers are spread out before him. There’s one about legalizing his purchase and detailing he has no control over his player outside of the arena, specifically saying he cannot command his player to act in any way threatening or sensually to anyone including himself. Another document shows Yixing’s medical information, including his date of birth and medications needed to ensure he is in top condition for any fights, and the last document requires he must participate in ten battles at least before petitioning the allowance of his player’s leave from the premises for any reason other than medical attention.

“These are all the files you need to sign,” Kyungsoo informs, leaning back to allow Chanyeol enough room to sift through each document carefully. “It’s all common sense, straightforward stuff. Though, I _am_ here to answer any questions you may have. My signature will be added below yours once you’ve signed it, to show they are all legalized and for our own security system.”

Chanyeol nods, actually taking the time to read through each one. “I assume incidents happened with an owner commanding their player outside of the arena,” he murmurs, hearing Kyungsoo’s affirming hum. He grabs the stylus laid off to the side from him before signing his name for that document. He lightly bites the side of his tongue looking at Yixing’s personal file. He only needs one medication, a surprising little amount for his condition. He signs that too.

“I watched your battle with Yixing,” Kyungsoo discloses, as he swipes the completed files back towards himself and signs them with ease. “It’s refreshing to see a pair act so similarly to my own.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment,” Chanyeol says quietly in response, concentrating on finding any loopholes or traps in the last couple documents.

“These are all very straightforward,” Kyungsoo repeats, murmurs. When Chanyeol looks up, Kyungsoo is sitting again. His voice falls to a complete whisper. “If you look hard enough, there are loopholes within these documents.”

Chanyeol isn’t sure what that means. He isn’t even sure why Kyungsoo is acting so differently compared to their supposed every day lives, but he guesses he can trust him. They’ve known each other since they were children, after all. He signs the last document without a second thought, swiping it away from him and towards Kyungsoo who easily catches it with the pad of his finger on the desk before signing it as well.

“Are we still meeting up for dinner in two weeks?” Kyungsoo asks casually. He’s looking over the files, making sure they all appear correct, and Chanyeol finds this conversation starter comforting.

“Yeah,” he answers, sitting back down in his chair. “Saturday night. It’s been a while.”

There’s a hint of a smile on Kyungsoo’s face, though he’s still looking down. “I know.”

“My house should be fine, right? Did you prefer a restaurant or your house?”

Kyungsoo shakes his head, finally looking up at him, the smile fading. “Your house should be fine. I haven’t visited in a while.”

Chanyeol laughs, giving his friend a weird stare. “I know,” he echoes.

“Of course,” Kyungsoo says, tilting his head off to the side, and Chanyeol forgets Baekhyun’s in the room with them too. “Baekhyun will have to join, if he is not here at EVOLVE being prepped.”

“Ah.” Chanyeol looks over his shoulder to see Baekhyun staring past him and straight at Kyungsoo. “Of course,” he echoes once more, voice softening, confused. “I will make sure there’s enough food for all of us.” He assumes Baekhyun eats normal foods.

There’s a moment of silence, where Kyungsoo continues to look over everything within his file, but then it ends too soon when Kyungsoo clears his throat and Chanyeol realizes he’s been staring at Baekhyun this entire time. He blinks as slowly as Yixing does. He doesn’t move at all except when needed and he’s been staring at Kyungsoo this whole time too. “Isn’t that unnerving?” he blurts out, turning to face Kyungsoo. He’s not used to having others staring so blatantly at him. He grew up with parents barely sparing him a glance, with strangers barely sparing him a glance. The only person he’s been comfortable with staring at him for so long is Kyungsoo and his house android.

“You get used to it,” Kyungsoo answers with a shrug. He stands next, causing Chanyeol to move along with him, and he holds his hand out for a handshake. Without thinking, Chanyeol accepts it, closes the deal between them. Kyungsoo smiles. “You won’t be disappointed with your choice.”

Chanyeol reciprocates the smile before he turns and sees Baekhyun already opening the door for him. “Oh,” Chanyeol calls, watching as Baekhyun immediately closes the door at his word. “How do our players hear our commands?” he asks, turning to face Kyungsoo, watches as Kyungsoo’s lips subtly turn down at the corners.

“Baekhyun, wait outside.”

Without hesitation, Baekhyun leaves the room. He stands guard, Chanyeol not hearing his footsteps anymore, and he waits for Kyungsoo to speak again.

“These players have an implant near their left ear,” Kyungsoo quietly explains, urging him to step forward. “It connects to a certain part of their brain. It allows them to hear our voice at a much softer volume and connect it to certain actions that allow them to fight.”

Chanyeol frowns. “Isn’t that unsafe? They aren’t androids.”

Softly, Kyungsoo sighs, tapping on his desk a few more times before the windows behind him tint dark and any technological surface is covered by metal. “It’s been tested for years now, Chanyeol. It doesn’t bring them any harm, even as they fight.” He looks around, cautious. “If you wish to continue this conversation, it’ll be at your house.”

There isn’t any room for further questions or arguments. There’s only a soft, pleading look in Kyungsoo’s eyes and he doesn’t understand it, but he knows when to keep quiet. He nods, “Alright then.”

Within seconds, the room clears again. Kyungsoo taps lightly on his desk and Baekhyun opens the door moments later. Chanyeol hums, quietly. That’s impressive.

 

Reflective panels line the buildings Chanyeol walks past, illuminating each building with the setting sun, and it almost looks like the entire business district doesn’t even exist. The government said it was for protection, to hide one of society’s flourishing aspects of life from the dangers of some unknown force, but Chanyeol honestly doesn’t understand. It’s easy for him to navigate this area of the city, but it’s only because he’s lived in it his entire life. He’s heard of ambassadors and other foreigners visiting this city for business trips but they get lost in it entirely, wandering aimlessly until a patrolling android finds them and leads them on the correct path.

The only difference to this district is EVOLVE. Its exterior is sleek black, with the only color being in the name itself–EVOLVE, lined in neon purple lights–and Chanyeol believes the only reason it passed government inspection was because all the reflective panels issued to them were set up on the roof. It doesn’t do much but make the building disappear when hovercrafts and airplanes take to the skies but even then, that’s proof there is a branch of EVOLVE in the area.

Chanyeol isn’t even sure why he waited this long to visit the building itself. He walks past it to get to work, where he sits behind his desk overlooking the city and busies himself with files and documents much like Kyungsoo earlier, but it’s never caught his attention besides the fact fights he watches at home happen in there. He guesses it’s a long time coming though, especially if Kyungsoo has been finding himself too busy with it nowadays.

The street he lives on is barren of humans or androids, leaving him to walk the concrete path in silence, and he wonders when walking became a thing of the present. Vehicles are still relevant, crucial even for transportation, but his parents said walking had become increasingly important for them since they were teenagers. There wasn’t any clear explanation for it, except for keeping the body fit, because fuel and energy had stopped being a concern for vehicles long ago.

Chanyeol doesn’t mind either way. He still reaches his house, with its steel gate like every other house on the street, and he still opens the side panel and leans over to allow the scanner to read his retina. The gate releases a soft burst of air, barely heard in the stillness of everything else, and Chanyeol pushes it open the rest of the way before it automatically closes behind him.

His house is typical, appearing like every other house in the city, but his parents had been the influential type. They had more money than could be spared, creating a home large enough to fit a family of twelve instead of four, and it’s the reason why he’s so well known in this city in the first place. He has money, lots of it, and doesn’t even know what to do with it half the time.

Once the front door is securely closed behind him, Chanyeol toes off his shoes. His black socks slide along the grey marble floor of the foyer and he quickly puts on his slippers before he actually falls over on his own. “Minseok,” he calls out, hearing the faint padding of feet coming towards him, calm, calculated.

“How was your adventure, sir?” Minseok voices, before he appears around the corner of the front hall. His dark hair falls over his eyes, irises glowing a faint green as he analyzes him, and then a crooked smile forms on his face. “You seem successful, Chanyeol.”

Chanyeol smiles at him, bright and happy, because Minseok has been with him for as long as Kyungsoo has. Minseok can read him like an open book and it brings a strange amount of comfort to him. “I bought my first player,” he announces, suddenly feeling giddy, like he won the lottery. “It’s silly though,” he comments, watching as the smile fades from Minseok’s face the moment he raises his eyebrows at him in confusion. “I shouldn’t feel this happy buying something.”

At that, Minseok laughs. He comes closer to him as he holds his hands out expectantly. Easily, Chanyeol slips off his jacket and tie to give to him to put up. “Think of it as a reward then, for all your hard work at the office, sir.”

Minseok disappears from view then, walking away to go to Chanyeol’s bedroom to put up his jacket and tie. There’s a faint scent of garlic and onions wafting through the air and Chanyeol takes the chance to venture into the kitchen a room over to see the vegetables sizzling on a pan on the stove and the oven turned on. “Minseok,” he calls, voice almost echoing with how empty his house is. “What are you cooking?”

“Something new,” Minseok shouts back. “I’m sure you’d love it, sir!”

“I always do,” Chanyeol says, though not as loud as Minseok is shouting. He knows he can hear him though. Minseok can hear anything if he wants to, simply heightening his hearing skills to how he wants. He’s busy stirring the vegetables in the pan to prevent it from burning when Minseok comes back in, peering around his arm to monitor him.

“Tell me about your player,” Minseok insists, taking the spatula from Chanyeol. He moves when Chanyeol steps away, resuming his spot in front of the stove. He looks over his shoulder though, eyes still glowing a faint green.

Chanyeol sighs softly, taking a seat at the stool of their bar across the kitchen. He unbuttons his sleeves, rolling them up to his elbows, and tries to get comfortable in his attire without going back to his room to change. “I was given five choices between three males and two females. It was unexpected, but I was pleased with the selection given,” he informs, hearing Minseok hum as he continues to cook. “Initially, I chose a female fighter by the name of Yerim. She has great potential but our match rate wasn’t as high as I hoped–below ninety percent.”

“You deserve more than that,” Minseok agrees, reaching for the salt and pepper in the cabinet.

This time, Chanyeol hums, “Yeah,” before he continues. “I did one trial run with her. Of course, with a match rate that low, she wouldn’t listen to some of my commands.” He watches as Minseok eyes his creation. He knows Minseok doesn’t have the greatest taste buds, no android ever does, but Minseok’s able to tell what a recipe needs by its smell and the ratio of all the ingredients he’s added in. “My opponent was Kyungsoo. I didn’t know he was offered a position with the administrative panel for EVOLVE, but he was and gave me some tips about selecting a player.”

“Wait,” Minseok interrupts, stilling, before he looks over his shoulder at him. He appears genuinely surprised. “Kyungsoo? As in young Kyungsoo with chubby cheeks and heart-shaped smile?”

Chanyeol can’t stop himself from laughing, recalling that he was once chubby too. Minseok always pinched his cheeks when he was a child. “Yes, that Kyungsoo. He will be having dinner here in two weeks time, along with his player.”

“His player?”

“Yeah,” Chanyeol answers, Minseok nodding once before resuming his duties. “The panel has approved his request to bring his player outside of the building. It’s strange, but nothing else has changed since I last saw him.”

Minseok hums in approval.

“I requested a second trial run after I finished my battle with Kyungsoo. I chose a male fighter by the name of Yixing whose experience and skills outweigh Yerim’s. Our match rate is ninety-four percent.” Minseok whistles. “Yeah, so I took a chance and fought with him against an elderly woman and her player. It went much better than expected, so I bought him outright.”

“Why not choose him the first time?” Minseok asks, before adding a quick, “Sir,” out of habit.

Chanyeol doesn’t pay it any mind. Minseok can call him whatever he wants. “He has a medical condition called hemophilia. He has needed immediate care four times in his entire career with EVOLVE.” He can hear soft tapping against his marble countertop, where Minseok is letting him know he’s processing the information, and he waits for Minseok to come back, tell him what he needs to know.

It takes a few minutes, where Minseok absentmindedly shuffles the food around in the pan to prevent it from burning, but then he’s speaking again as he goes back to doing what he needs to do. “Hemophilia is a blood condition in which the human has the inability to form clots. Severe bleeding can occur from a simple injury. Treatments are possible, but this condition has no cure.” Minseok pauses suddenly, causing Chanyeol to raise an eyebrow at his android confused. “Heredity plays a factor as well. Hemophilia is typically caused by a heredity lack of a coagulation factor, which is most often factor VIII.”

“Oh,” Chanyeol murmurs.

“Yes,” Minseok agrees. “Nowadays, there are less than two hundred thousand children born with this condition every year.”

Chanyeol hums quietly, leaning over to place his elbow on the bar countertop and his chin in his palm. The food smells delicious. “So, he’s a rare one,” he concludes, watching as Minseok turns to him and smiles. “The amount of food you’re making is more than enough for me. You’re not going to attempt to eat again, are you?”

At this, Minseok laughs. “Of course not, sir,” he turns back to cooking, finishing it up. “I’ll pack the rest for your lunch tomorrow. It should still be good if it’s reheated.”

“Okay,” Chanyeol murmurs, faint smile on his lips. The last time Minseok attempted to eat human food, he had to be sent to the factory for repair. The time before that, Minseok’s entire personality changed and Chanyeol had to constantly hide from an extremely nagging house android for not brushing his teeth even though he did–five times in a row. After all that, they both agreed for Minseok to only ingest the highest quality of fuel needed to sustain his life and utilize his charge port for anything else.

Within minutes, the dining table is set and Chanyeol moves from his spot by the bar before Minseok calls him again for nourishment. It’s endearing, to say the least, but Chanyeol doesn’t want Minseok doing more for him when he’s right there to do it if he knows how.

“The food looks delicious,” Chanyeol compliments, eyeing the stew and chicken in front of him. He unfolds his napkin, draping it over his lap, and he stares at his portion on his plate before looking to the leftovers in the center of the table. Almost immediately, he feels fingers in his hair and he laughs. “My hair can’t possibly be messed up.”

“No, sir,” Minseok murmurs in agreement, watching as Chanyeol takes the first bite of his meal, “It isn’t.”

Bursts of flavor erupt on his tongue and Chanyeol groans, pleased with the outcome. “You outdo yourself every time, Minseok. That’s amazing.” He hears Minseok’s soft laughter. “I’m returning to EVOLVE tomorrow after work. Please do whatever you need and want to do until I arrive back home.” He yelps when Minseok’s fingers suddenly slide from his hair and down to his ear, tugging on it hard.

“I allow you to speak to me like that since I serve you, but don’t speak to me like that after I’ve just fed you.”

“You’re mean for an android,” Chanyeol whines, though he continues to eat his meal despite the pain flaring from his ear. “I hope you’re mean like this when you leave the house.”

Minseok scoffs. “If you’re asking if I protect myself, the answer is yes, if it’s needed. I am one of the best androids ever manufactured, according to my instruction manual and factory satisfaction levels.”

“My parents always got the best of the best,” Chanyeol murmurs, wincing when he feels Minseok flick his ear.

“And I am the best.”

Chanyeol sighs, tries to hide his smile with eating more food. “No doubt about that.” He stays quiet after that, even as Minseok gently tugs on his ear again, fondly this time, before he leaves to take care of more things around the house. He hears Minseok’s faint, “Enjoy yourself tomorrow,” even though he knows they’re going to end up watching the news within an hour.

 

“Welcome back, Mr. Park.”

There are several people lingering in the lobby, some Chanyeol can recognize from previous televised matches and others he can’t, and Chanyeol offers the android receptionist a curt nod before he spots Kyungsoo in the corner of the room. Baekhyun isn’t with him this time and Chanyeol slightly tilts his head to the side curiously. “I was told to accompany you to your first match and ensure you understand the rules and regulations,” Kyungsoo explains when he comes close enough, turning to enter a room that requires his handprint. Chanyeol recognizes it as being similar to one of the entrances within the facility itself.

“Do you not have any matches today?” Chanyeol asks, ignoring everyone else around them.

“No, Baekhyun has his regular inspection appointment today. I won’t have any matches until Monday.”

Chanyeol hums, watching as Kyungsoo automatically takes him down a different hallway than the ones he walked through yesterday. “You rely on him a lot for your matches,” he comments quietly. He doesn’t leave much room for question, not that it matters. Kyungsoo will tell him if he’s wrong or not.

Though, Kyungsoo doesn’t say anything to that. He opens up a different hallway that requires a retinal scan as well as his handprint and Chanyeol’s surprised to find a second lobby waiting for them. There isn’t anybody in here except for another android receptionist and Chanyeol stares at it as it greets them. “Welcome back, Mr. Do. Greetings, Mr. Park.”

The words EVOLVE PLAYERS are embossed in faint purple in the wall behind the receptionist, causing Chanyeol to stare at it a beat longer than normal, and he doesn’t even realize he continues walking until he hears Kyungsoo’s soft cough. It brings him back to the present before he bumps into his friend.

“I will take you to your player,” Kyungsoo informs, looking over his shoulder at him. “If you are satisfied with his appearance and health, there is a battle waiting for you in Arena Three.”

Chanyeol nods, “Okay.”

There are a few more hallways, each with about ten doors on each side, yet Chanyeol doesn’t bother to look through the small window on them to see what’s inside each one. He assumes it’s the player’s room, customized for them, and when he’s taken to a room with the nameplate Player 1007, he gets to see what one is like personally.

Kyungsoo knocks on the door twice before he puts his hand on the scanner next to the door. It reads his print with ease before opening and Chanyeol frowns as he takes a cursory glance around the room. There’s a small bed, table, and chair, but there’s also a sink and toilet on the opposite side of the room. By dimension, it appears as if it’s a twelve-by-twelve foot area.

“Yixing,” Kyungsoo calls and it’s then that Chanyeol notices a lump on the bed. A blanket covers it, but the blanket looks thick. “Get up.”

Within minutes, Yixing is emerging from his cocoon. His hair is fluffed up but his eyes remain dull. He already appears to be in his fighting gear, with black, sleeveless skintight clothes and black fingerless gloves, and Chanyeol wonders how long he’s been ready.

Suddenly, Chanyeol feels a nudge on his arm. It’s Kyungsoo and he stares at him for a moment, confused, before he realizes what he needs to do. “Yixing,” he calls out, looking back to his player who’s now staring at him. He doesn’t know what else to say. Yixing appears ready and well rested.

“Strength,” Kyungsoo fills in for him, causing Yixing to look at him instead.

“Ninety-eight percent.”

“Stamina.”

“Ninety-eight percent.”

“Energy.”

“Ninety-seven percent.”

“Are you prepared for your battle today?”

“Yes, sir.”

Kyungsoo gives him a curt nod before turning to Chanyeol. “Normally, you should ask your player about his current strength, stamina, and energy. You should aim for statistics above ninety-six percent. That’ll guarantee a good match. If it’s anything lower than that for your first fight, you should request one of the androids present to prep him some more and allow him to rest.”

Chanyeol still doesn’t understand what ‘prep’ means, but he nods anyways.

“Since all his numbers are good, we should head to the arena to begin your battle.”

Kyungsoo leaves before Chanyeol can get another word in. He watches him go, wondering how a player even knows their own numbers, but he guesses they all know their bodies better than they do. He looks over his shoulder to see Yixing still standing there, staring at him, waiting, so he sighs softly before he leaves the room as well. He can hear Yixing’s soft footsteps behind him before a _whoosh_ sounds, his door closing behind them.

Following his friend, they go down several more hallways before Chanyeol finally recognizes where they are. They’re in the same general vicinity where he was yesterday and he looks around only to see another battle taking place in a different arena through the screen in the hallway.

“That’s happening in Arena Two,” Kyungsoo says, before he’s opening another door. “This is one side to Arena Three. I’ll be joining you so I can monitor your experience.” He looks to Yixing then, who’s been walking behind them silently. “Take your space in Slot One of Arena Two. The battle will commence in fifteen minutes.”

Chanyeol turns in time to see Yixing tilt his head in acceptance before he turns around and disappears through another door. He expected players to remain quiet, only following their commands whenever they’re spoken to, but Yixing is too quiet, too stealthy. Chanyeol hopes that’ll be used in battles beneficially.

“Come on, Chanyeol,” Kyungsoo says, before he’s sighing and entering the room first. The room is similar to the one he was in yesterday and they take their same spots in the leather chairs present. Another service android comes through the opposite door with some liquor and Chanyeol can’t help but immediately pour himself a glass when he gets settled. Kyungsoo chuckles. “Don’t be so nervous. Yixing is an excellent choice for new owners.”

“Easy for you to say,” Chanyeol mutters, downing the whisky in one shot. It burns hot down his throat. “My first battle and I didn’t even know what to say to my player besides his name.”

Kyungsoo laughs this time, digging into his breast pocket and producing a different earpiece. He holds it out for him. “This one is specifically tailored to Yixing. It’s yours to keep unless you return him. You may take it out of the facility but if you lose or break it, it’ll cost you an additional fee to replace it.”

Chanyeol scowls at him but takes it nonetheless. “I almost forgot we needed one of these to communicate with them.” He puts it in his left ear, tapping it a couple of times, and he waits until he sees his opponent’s player enter the arena first. It’s a different man than he’s seen before. “Yixing, enter.”

“We try to accommodate first-time participants,” Kyungsoo explains as Chanyeol watches Yixing enter the arena. He and the other player seem to be of similar build and height and Chanyeol knows he needs another drink. “One of my colleagues is with the other participant right now, so the playing field should be level.”

There’s a holographic countdown in the air between them and Chanyeol eyes it warily as it counts down from three. It starts too quickly, the way the opponent dashes for Yixing when it hits zero, and Chanyeol stumbles through his words of “Yixing, dodge” before his player can be punched in the face.

Yixing ducks the first attack before pushing off of his left foot to run right and Chanyeol concentrates on Yixing’s movements, trying to learn them as accurately as he can to ensure a good fight. He doesn’t even know if this match is going to be televised or not. “Yixing, attack,” he murmurs, watching as Yixing’s entire demeanor changes. There seems to be power flowing off of his player in waves, landing punches and kicks to their opponent easily, and Chanyeol can’t help but feel small strikes of pride hit his chest with each successful hit. “Yixing, defend.”

Within seconds, Yixing is blocking his face with his arms before he dodges another punch to his stomach. He runs around before digging his heels in the ground and throwing his arms up against his face to defend himself against a kick to the head. He takes the opportunity to push back his opponent before spinning and kicking a foot out to land on his opponent’s chest.

“Yixing, attack,” Chanyeol says, too engrossed in the fight. “Uppercut. Kick.”

Yixing’s moves are fluid, transitioning from one position to the next, and Chanyeol wonders if Yixing even needs him until a kick does land in his stomach. It causes him to stumble back, the air visibly knocked out of him, and Chanyeol feels the beginnings of panic swirl in his own stomach.

“Yixing, separate yourself.”

Yixing does as told. He stands there, breathing harshly and staring down their opponent, but when Chanyeol chances a look at the other guy, he’s in a far worse condition than Yixing is. The other man has bruises and cuts forming on his face. He doesn’t even look like he can stand for long and Chanyeol feels a swell of victory ballooning in his chest.

“Yixing,” Chanyeol calls, shifting his gaze over to his player who straightens up immediately. “Finish the battle.”

It’s like a switch. It fascinates Chanyeol, how easily Yixing moves with his words, and he watches the ending of the match at the edge of his seat, alcohol long forgotten. Within minutes, their opponent is breathing heavily on the ground, eyes closed, and Yixing instantly takes a step back when it appears their opponent can no longer move. There aren’t any visible injuries on Yixing and Chanyeol smiles, feeling inexplicably happy.

“Nice job,” Kyungsoo suddenly comments, jerking Chanyeol back into the spectator’s room. His friend is smiling too, happy, proud, and Chanyeol’s smile grows wider at the compliment. “Natural.”

“Yixing,” Chanyeol calls out once more, looking back to see his player waiting for his instructions. “Return.”

Yixing instantly walks forward, towards the door he entered, and Chanyeol takes the chance to look across the arena where the holographic words of _WINNER : MR. PARK_ are spinning to show for the entire area to see. He can’t even see their opponent’s owner anymore.

 

The moment Chanyeol sees Yixing outside of the arena, he doesn’t hesitate in walking up to him, gaze searching his body for any injuries. “Do you require any medical attention?” he asks, watching as Yixing tilts his head back the slightest bit to stare up at him. When he removes the earpiece from his ear, he can hear Kyungsoo’s footsteps behind them.

“No, sir,” Yixing answers, dull, quiet.

Chanyeol nods, accepting the answer but still staring at his player, and he doesn’t stop until he feels a hand gently touch his arm. “Chanyeol,” Kyungsoo calls, catching his attention. Chanyeol doesn’t want to tear his gaze away from Yixing, but he does so anyways. “Once he is in his room, you may inspect any possible injured areas from his match.”

Turning back to Yixing, Chanyeol nods, eyeing him once more, before he gestures vaguely in Kyungsoo’s direction. “Lead the way, Kyungsoo,” he murmurs. When Chanyeol takes a step away, Yixing follows but never at the same pace and stride as them. He’s always a centimeter or two behind.

 

It doesn’t take long for them to arrive at Yixing’s room. Kyungsoo opens the door before they all step inside and Chanyeol stares as Yixing continues to walk ahead, stopping by his bed. He doesn’t sit or lie down on it. Instead, he turns to face Chanyeol once more.

“Yixing,” Kyungsoo calls, “You may sit or lie down, whichever you prefer.”

There’s a short glance in Kyungsoo’s direction before Yixing sits down. His movements are slow, seemingly calculated, and Chanyeol tries to figure out why when Yixing simply says, “I will lift my shirt for injuries now.”

It happens too quickly, the way Yixing pulls the skintight shirt over his head. Muscles shift and move with him and Chanyeol frowns when he can see obvious bruises forming on his abdomen. There are faint scars all over his chest too. “Yixing, do you require medical attention?” he asks once more, watching as Yixing looks up from his abdomen to him.

“No, sir.”

“Strength.”

“Eighty-seven percent.”

“Stamina.”

“Seventy percent.”

“Energy.”

“Eighty-eight percent.”

The frown doesn’t leave Chanyeol’s face but Yixing’s gaze does after he’s done asking him about his body. Chanyeol’s never been one to accept pain or suffering on anybody or anything near him. He can watch fights from afar, watch movies and television dramas with them in it, but when he’s near a being with injuries, he can’t help but worry about them. His parents called him defective when Minseok malfunctioned once and he cried, but his sister said it was okay. It happens.

The bruises are slowly turning purple and black, but Yixing pays it no mind before he simply lies down on the bed. He doesn’t move the blankets over him and Chanyeol stands there, confused, before he feels another tug to his arm. He keeps forgetting Kyungsoo’s been next to him this whole time.

“Yixing,” Kyungsoo calls, making Yixing tilt his head to face them. “Do you need anything else?”

Yixing’s response is immediate, a quiet “no, sir,” before they’re leaving the room.

“You are able to have multiple battles in one day,” Kyungsoo informs once they start walking down the hallway. “However, EVOLVE’s limit is five, due to the player’s safety.” There’s a pause then, where Chanyeol feels a little lost. He doesn’t know what to say or do except follow his friend back to the entrance of the building. “Why does it look like you’re at a loss for words? Surely, you know about the injuries that take place during battles.”

Chanyeol tries to shake himself out of it, out of remembering purple and black and faint scars on Yixing’s body. “I do know about the injuries,” he mutters, shaking Kyungsoo’s grip off his arm. “I just didn’t know what to fully expect after a battle.” He doesn’t need to look over to know Kyungsoo’s staring at him with a glare in his eyes, thinking, maybe trying to examine his expression better. But then Kyungsoo sighs, almost in defeat, which is strange in itself.

“You haven’t changed one bit,” Kyungsoo murmurs, though it’s fond. He’s turning around then, back the way they came, and Chanyeol struggles to keep up with him. “If it worries you so much, we can take him to the medical unit. I need to pick up Baekhyun anyways.”

The trip back to Yixing’s room is much quicker than the first time. The entire process of opening the door is repeated and Chanyeol can see a faint, curious expression in Yixing’s eyes when he steps into the room. Yixing doesn’t say anything. He hasn’t even moved from his spot.

“I paid extra for covered medical care,” Chanyeol says, voice coming out harsher than he initially intended. “Get up.”

Yixing does as told, the curious flare in his gaze disappearing as quickly as it came, and he puts on his shirt before waiting for more. He doesn’t flinch when he moves but Chanyeol feels like that injury should hurt more than he lets on. With another glance at Yixing’s abdomen, Chanyeol turns to Kyungsoo next. “Please, take us to the medical unit.” There’s a hint of an amused smile on Kyungsoo’s face before he turns and leaves the room. Chanyeol can’t help but look over his shoulder every few minutes to make sure Yixing is following them.

 

All the players who’ve recently fought are sitting on separate beds. The walls are white and the entire unit appears pristine. There’s the faint scent of alcohol and other analgesics and anesthetics in the air and Chanyeol scowls at the smell. It’s not the most pleasant thing in the world.

“Hello, Mr. Park,” an android greets, walking up to them. There’s a red medical cross embedded in its chest. “Do you wish to have Player 1007 evaluated?”

“Yes,” Chanyeol answers, nodding once.

“Player 1007, follow me.”

Chanyeol watches as Yixing walks past him and towards the android. He’s led to a different bed in the far corner and Chanyeol takes the chance to glance around for any other owners with their players there. There are only two that he can see. “Kyungsoo,” he murmurs, looking over to see his friend staring off in another direction. “Am I allowed to stay?”

“Of course,” Kyungsoo answers, turning back to face him. “Any owner is allowed to stay and ensure their player is getting the best treatment available. We pride ourselves in our high satisfaction rates.” He turns around again, looking at a different hallway. “If you don’t mind, Chanyeol, I’ll be checking up on my own player.” His friend doesn’t even wait for a response before he’s walking off.

It makes Chanyeol smirk unintentionally, one corner of his lips tilting up in amusement, and he shakes his head to rid himself of the feeling before he follows the direction the android and his player walked off in. He greets the other owners he passes by with the tilt of the head.

“Oh, Chanyeol,” someone calls, catching his attention. He looks around for the source of the voice, only to see an old acquaintance entering the medical unit with her own player. She’s wearing a dress and looks pleased with seeing him. “I heard you stayed in the city when the rest of your family left, but I had barely seen you since then. You’ve become somewhat of a hermit, the rumors say.”

Chanyeol scoffs, stilling in his spot. “If you did more than flirt with all the women on your floor, you would’ve seen me in my office at the top.”

Seungwan waves away the attending android and her player before approaching him. She reaches out, tugging on his jacket’s lapel, before smoothing it down. “Oh, but all you do is work and return home. I’m surprised to even see you here of all places.” She looks around him then, searching. “Now, which one is your player?”

For some reason, Chanyeol doesn’t want to give her the satisfaction of telling her who it is outright. He simply steps aside, allowing her full view of the unit around them. “You can guess. You’ve always loved a good game, huh?” He grunts when she uses her forearm to shove him.

The entire medical unit is practically quiet. The only voices heard are the androids caring for the players but, even then, that’s limited. Chanyeol watches as Seungwan steps forward to see the players in the back of the room and he can tell when her guess is correct. It’s just like at work, when she straightens and gives him a beautiful smile despite their rocky relationship.

“Only the best of Park Industries would get one of the best players of EVOLVE.” Seungwan looks pleased with herself, as she should, but now Yixing is looking over at them from his place lying on the bed. Still, there aren’t any emotions but Chanyeol moves towards him anyways. “I’ve heard this one is expensive,” Seungwan continues, walking closer to gently touch Yixing on the arm. “Strong yet delicate. I’m mildly surprised the administration panel put him into your selection.”

Chanyeol hums, for lack of a better response. He stands off to the side, nearest the android examining Yixing’s bruising abdomen, and he watches as it draws blood from Yixing’s vein. He assumes it’s to quantify Yixing’s blood levels.

“Ms. Son, your player is ready,” another android announces. It pulls Chanyeol’s attention away from the android treating his player and he looks over in time to see Seungwan drag a fingertip the length of Yixing’s forearm.

“I request to battle you,” Seungwan quietly says, still staring at Yixing, but it’s clear her words are for Chanyeol. “At five o’clock. His treatment should be done by then.”

Instinctively, Chanyeol looks to his watch. It’s a quarter past three in the afternoon. He doesn’t know what treatment Yixing needs at this point, but it shouldn’t take more than an hour long. He also doesn’t want to ask his player if he’s ready for it, not in front of everyone else here, so he nods instead. “Of course. I’m not one to turn down a proposition such as this.”

“And if I may ask,” Seungwan continues on, finally stepping away from Yixing and from their general area. “How many battles have you conducted together?”

“One, officially,” Chanyeol answers, looking over his shoulder at her, “Two, altogether.”

“Ah,” Seungwan says, acknowledging his answer, not even looking back at him. “Arena Two,” she calls out, before she simply walks away. There’s nothing else, no other reason for Chanyeol to talk to anyone else, so he turns back to Yixing and eyes the bruise on his abdomen.

It seems as if it’s stopped darkening, which is a good sign, but the android is still running Yixing’s blood on the small machine next to his bed. Though, it doesn’t take long for it to result back. “Coagulation levels are within range,” it informs quietly, reading the codes. “Blood count is within range. All other levels are within range.”

Chanyeol nods at the information, staring at results that are only visible to the androids, and he blinks once before he’s looking up to Yixing’s face instead. This time, he’s staring up at the ceiling, still unmoving. “Is his treatment complete?” he asks, before adding a hasty, “Android.”

“Yes, sir,” it answers. “Allow me five minutes to ensure Player 1007’s puncture wound site is healing appropriately.”

“Of course,” Chanyeol says, though he doesn’t know how it can tell. The bandage covering Yixing’s right antecubital site is already soaked with a small area of blood. When removed, blood continues to ooze out but it seems to clot easily enough after the android wipes it clean once more and puts another bandage on top. The process is repeated once more before the area stops bleeding completely.

“Player 1007 is healing appropriately,” the android announces, eyes glowing a faint green as it moves to put a new bandage and leave it on this time. “Player 1007 is ready for additional battles, if Mr. Park so chooses.”

“I thank you,” Chanyeol murmurs quietly, watching as Yixing shifts his gaze to stare back at him instead. “Yixing,” he calls anyways, even if there’s no change in Yixing’s demeanor. “Get up.”

Within seconds, the android is moving away and Yixing is sitting up in bed. He puts on his shirt once more before standing. There’s no grimace or flinch with any movement he makes and Chanyeol wonders how. Yixing’s pain tolerance can’t be that high.

“I see your player is fine,” Kyungsoo suddenly calls out, causing Chanyeol to spin and see his friend standing at the other end of the room. Baekhyun is standing right next to him, and he looks fine too. “Let’s go.”

Chanyeol follows without hesitance, knowing Yixing is only a step behind him.

 

Silence falls between them, the only sounds the soft thuds of their shoes on the floor, and Chanyeol can’t help but shift his staring from the empty hallway to Baekhyun slightly ahead of him a little behind Kyungsoo. He appears as he always does, no emotion present, no other indication of life except for his breathing and movements, and Chanyeol wonders, before staring at the back of Kyungsoo’s head instead.

“Seungwan has requested a battle,” he says, catching Kyungsoo’s attention. His friend is looking over his shoulder at him, mildly surprised, before he’s turning back and veering off a different pathway. Baekhyun follows with ease. “At five o’clock. I accepted. Arena Two.”

Kyungsoo snorts, shaking his head minutely. “She still hasn’t come to terms with it,” he comments quietly. “She had a different competitor scheduled, but it should be acceptable to switch out opponents if you’re competing.”

“It’s not my fault I demoted her back then,” Chanyeol murmurs, though he can’t help it when his lips twitch up into a smile. “If she focused more on her work than her personal relations, she wouldn’t have suffered such a setback.”

“Says the one who always works and never leaves his office unless it’s to go home,” Kyungsoo counters, even as he’s smiling as well. “It’s been three years. I’m surprised; she managed to work her way back up in your company, last I heard.”

Chanyeol hums, “You’ve heard right.”

“I don’t even know what she’s thinking,” Kyungsoo continues on, shrugging. “She can never catch up to you, even if she works hard like normal people.”

“She is a special case,” Chanyeol admits, remembering Seungwan’s parents as people who worked hard to try and achieve a better status than what they originally had. Only few individuals have been successful, but they also needed the connections to overcome the rest. Seungwan’s parents were a couple of those people, making connections with those who had more money and power than them, and Chanyeol and Kyungsoo think that’s the reason why she’s able to make her way into the circle of elites, especially young ones at that. “I haven’t seen much of her fights though,” he comments afterwards, thoughtful, before he’s looking over to Yixing walking at his side but a little behind him. He appears as passive as the rest of the players he’s seen.

Kyungsoo easily waves him off, one of the few people who is allowed to do that to him, yet Chanyeol still snorts at his action in distaste. “With your player at your side, you’re going to easily win.” Chanyeol chances another look at his player before they’re all slowing to a stop. When he turns back around, he notices they’re standing in front of Arena Two’s entrance for the owners. “Would you like me to accompany you for this battle as well?” Kyungsoo asks, staring at him with an eyebrow raised.

“Did you intend to watch the fight?” Chanyeol asks back, before looking over at Yixing. “Take your place in Slot Two of Arena Two. The battle will commence in fifteen minutes.” There’s a moment where Yixing turns to stare at him before he’s walking away to where Chanyeol assumes is his spot for the battle. “If you are allowed,” Chanyeol continues on, looking back to his friend. “I would not mind the company. If not, enjoy the performance.”

Soft laughter spills from Kyungsoo’s lips at his words. He shakes his head at him, as if to rid himself of the feeling, and Chanyeol smiles at him before glancing over and catching a glimpse of Baekhyun’s lips twitching up almost the same. “I will join you then, old friend,” Kyungsoo says, diverting his attention from the player. “I will not offer any words of advice, but be wary of my comments. You should know, after all.”

Chanyeol rolls his eyes but strides past him anyways. He pulls out Yixing’s earpiece from his pocket before slipping it in his left ear. He has a habit of asking Minseok if he’s ready whenever they’re about to do something together and he almost lets the question “Yixing, are you ready?” slip past his lips. He doesn’t though. Instead, he walks further into the room, taking the furthest chair and leaving the chair closest to the door open for Kyungsoo.

Looking through the floor-to-ceiling glass wall in front of them, he can easily see Seungwan in the opposite box. She’s by herself, studying him, and he rolls his eyes at her before looking down and finding Yixing in his designated spot. He still wants to ask him if he’s ready, if he needs more time before this fight even begins, but then he sees Yixing’s chest expand more than usual. If Chanyeol didn’t know any better, Yixing was taking in a deep breath.

The holographic counter starts in the air between him and Seungwan. He looks to her quickly before looking down to Yixing, whispering a soft “Yixing” to see if the earpiece is working correctly. He can see Yixing blink and the counter reaches zero.

Nobody moves. Nobody says a thing and Chanyeol hears Kyungsoo murmur a quiet “Interesting” before Seungwan’s player moves first. Chanyeol feels his heart race, instantly looking to Yixing. “Yixing, attack.”

Within minutes, Yixing and Seungwan’s player are caught up in the fight. They dodge each other’s punches and kicks and Chanyeol winces when Seungwan’s player manages to land a punch on Yixing’s face. Chanyeol can already see a red patch blooming on Yixing’s left cheek. “Yixing, defend,” he murmurs, taking the chance to stare at Seungwan’s player and the way she moves. There are hints of power behind each step the opposite player takes, which means her movements tend to get stiff with too much power she exudes. “Yixing,” he calls again. “Increase the fluidity of your moves and attack.”

Yixing’s stance shifts after that. He moves into a standing position, barely crouching over like one does in a normal fight, and he stills. It catches Chanyeol’s attention, wondering how that’s any more fluid than a rock, but when Seungwan’s player rushes forward again, Yixing simply steps to the side, grabs her forearm, and easily flips her onto her back. It’s almost as if there was no effort at all on Yixing’s end and Chanyeol watches as Yixing quickly moves to kneel on Seungwan’s player’s stomach and attach his hand to her neck.

He’s choking her, obviously ignoring the kicks to his back from her swinging legs, and he uses his free arm to try and block her one-arm punches. She lands a few hits, but then she starts to weaken. It’s strange to watch.

“Chanyeol,” Kyungsoo suddenly warns, snapping him out of his daze.

“Yixing,” Chanyeol calls, watching as Yixing’s entire posture softens at his call. “Disengage.”

Yixing removes his hand from his opponent’s neck easily before he’s pushing off of the ground beside her to stand. He takes several steps back, still staring at her, and Chanyeol chances a look up to see Seungwan staring at the two players below them. She’s frowning before she’s saying something else and then her player is running forward again.

“Yixing,” Chanyeol calls once more, before Yixing simply moves, slipping to the side and gently pushing his opponent away when she runs past him. They watch as Yixing moves like water, dodging his opponent’s attacks before he’s retaliating, and Chanyeol briefly wonders if this is how Kyungsoo feels when he watches Baekhyun fight.

Once more, Yixing manages to get his opponent on her stomach, her arms twisted behind her back, and he pushes into them with his knee before he’s grabbing for the back of her neck. His moves completely still her upper body, only her legs thrashing around, and Chanyeol winces when he can hear a loud _pop_ echo and a resounding shout within the arena. “Yixing,” he immediately calls, “Disengage.”

This time, when Yixing removes himself from his opponent completely, Chanyeol notices the opponent’s left arm hanging by her side. She’s unable to use it anymore and Chanyeol looks to Seungwan to see if she’ll give up and accept defeat. It looks like she doesn’t. “Kyungsoo, how long do we fight for? Her player is obviously injured.” When Chanyeol looks over to his friend, it’s to see him shrugging in his seat, appearing relaxed with Baekhyun at his side.

“As long as both fighters are still able to fight, it will continue until near-death or one of the participants forfeits the match.”

Chanyeol frowns at him before looking back to the fight. He can catch a glimpse of Seungwan’s scowl in his direction before she’s saying something again. He still can’t tell what it is but when he looks down, it’s to see her player rushing for Yixing again. All Yixing does is dodge before he punches her in the face, knocking her to her back. Chanyeol wants to tell Seungwan to stop before her player worsens, but he can’t. Instead, he watches as Yixing repeats the same moves again and again with additional kicks before Seungwan’s player is on the ground, breathing hard.

There’s a moment where everything stills. Chanyeol stares at the fight below them, watching their opponent’s every move–which isn’t much if he’s being honest–, but then the holographic screen pops up between them once more. _WINNER : MR. PARK_ spins in a circle between them and Chanyeol can’t help but lock eyes with Seungwan through the spaces of the letters. She’s frowning at him now before her mouth opens to speak and she gets up. Below them, her player turns around and staggers away.

“Yixing,” Chanyeol calls. “Return.”

 

“I see you’ve finally come to your senses.”

There are three small metal balls on the floor, spread out to form a triangle, and they each provide a layer of holographic images in front of him. Chanyeol stares at it, trying to find the appropriate move to knock a round purple ball through the obstacle course and into the hole. There really aren’t many options. He walks around it, holding out his right hand, before aiming and tapping the holographic image to hit the side of a wall first.

“We heard the news, son! You’re already bringing in so much attention!”

Chanyeol hums to show he’s listening, even as most of his concentration is on the purple ball making its way to the hole in the course in front of him. His parents are on the screen imbedded on the left wall of this room. His mother is ecstatic but his father seems to be analyzing his game as well.

“We even heard you bought out a player who’s medical baseline is imperfect,” his mother continues to say, before she’s moving out of the screen’s view. He can hear her talking to someone else, probably one of their house robots, before his father is speaking instead. “And that you are still winning matches despite that setback.”

“You should’ve hit it at a more ninety-degree angle, son,” his father mentions and Chanyeol just grunts at him in response when his ball barely makes it into the hole. The next level appears in layers before it settles together and he’s staring at it again. “How’s the base back home?”

Chanyeol finally looks up at him, where he notices his father is dressed in a simple button-up shirt and black slacks. He bets his mother is wearing a dress though. She always wears dresses. “Work is fine,” he answers. “I established a deal with Huang Incorporated two weeks ago. Our expansion into China will finally be stabilized.” His father nods his head in approval, his attention shifting elsewhere off the screen.

“That’s good, son. Keep it up. Hey, android, move that cabinet over forty centimeters and clean the area if it’s dirty.”

It’s habit that makes Chanyeol sigh, looking away from them and to his game once more. He listens to them converse with their androids instead of him, but that’s fine. He’d rather keep himself occupied than listen to all their comments about his life.

There’s a soft knock on the door and Chanyeol looks over to see Minseok standing in the opened doorway giving him a concerned stare. He doesn’t say anything and Chanyeol knows it’s because his parents are still on the screen. In fact, Chanyeol gives Minseok his own concerned stare, wondering what’s wrong, but all Minseok does is hold one hand up and make eating emotions with his other hand to make it look like he’s eating out of a bowl. Chanyeol didn’t realize it’s already time for lunch.

“Father,” he calls out, looking to the screen and watching as his father walks back into view of it holding his specialized gloves to create holograms. Chanyeol frowns, searching throughout the screen. “Where’s mother?”

“I’m here, sweetie!” his mother calls, before she’s walking into the screen’s view too. Her smile is warm, has always been, and Chanyeol feels the warmth settle in his chest. “Your sister just contacted us too. She says she’ll be calling you shortly.”

Chanyeol raises an eyebrow at that but nods all the same. “Alright. It’s time for lunch.” His parents nod, their attention slowly being diverted away from him. “Anyways, I’m ending the call. It’s nice to see both of you.” He smiles when his mother shoots him a kind one. “I hope you’re enjoying the tropics.”

“Of course we are, sweetie,” his mother answers, before she’s waving. “We’ll talk to you soon. Enjoy your meal. I trust Minseok is keeping your nutrition in check.”

“Of course,” Chanyeol echoes. He gives his parents another smile and a nod before the connection is cut off.

“I’m glad she’s the one who mentioned me instead of your father,” Minseok comments, walking into the room and staring at the course set out in front of him. His eyes glow minutely before he reaches out and taps the purple ball. To nobody’s surprise, it ends up in the hole. “Your father scares me.”

Chanyeol laughs. “They are both appreciative of you, although in their own way.”

“Not until they’ve discovered I’ve been sneaking confectioneries into your meals,” Minseok grumbles. When he turns, Chanyeol follows after him, kicking one of the metal balls on the floor away. It disrupts the connection between them, causing the hologram game to disappear, and Chanyeol stops paying it any mind as they make their way down the hallway and stairs. “Your father would demand I be shipped back to the factory to have different protocols deleted.”

“He doesn’t own you anymore,” Chanyeol reminds. “I signed the transfer papers when he filled them out. You know I won’t ever send you back to the factory unless you request it or get sick again.”

The grateful smile Minseok sends his way makes Chanyeol forget he’s an android in the first place. “And I thank you for that,” Minseok says quietly, turning back and leading him into the dining room.

The food spread out in front of them is enough to feed three people and then there are several cans of oil and plasma fluids. “Oh, you need to feed again?” Chanyeol asks, hearing Minseok hum. “Do you need more money? Are we running out of your favorites?” When he turns to see where Minseok went, he doesn’t expect Minseok to come out of the kitchen with a small cake. “What is _that_?” he gasps, quickly sitting when Minseok shoots him a glare.

After Minseok sets the cake down on the table, Chanyeol sneaks a peak to see the decorations on top. The words are written in scripted English: _Congratulations!_ “I watched your last match last Friday,” Minseok answers, small smile on his face. “You hadn’t come home by your regular time, so I turned on the television to see if you had another fight come up. And you did! You won your tenth match with Yixing!”

For an android, Minseok is the sweetest one Chanyeol has ever come across. It makes him break out into a huge smile, laughing, because this is so _sweet_. “So, you baked me a celebratory cake for that?” he asks, looking up to the android who nods happily at him. “You didn’t have to do that, Minseok.”

“Contrary to your popular belief, I imagined I should,” Minseok says with a huff, though his lips are still tugged up into a crooked smile. “You battled so well with him. I barely heard any of your commands!” He then takes his seat next to him, grabbing a can of oil in front of them and opening it up. “Now, tell me about Yixing. I’ve taken notes on all the fighters I’ve seen so far, but I couldn’t come up with much for him. He doesn’t even look like someone with the medical condition hemophilia.”

Chanyeol can’t help but smile at him, watching as he drinks from the can with a metal straw. In reality, Minseok is almost as old as his sister. He could even be older if his parents did buy him right when he completed his training courses after being manufactured. But staring at him, without the glow of his eyes present, Minseok could easily look his age or younger. His entire demeanor is of a young adult human and Chanyeol chuckles at his own thoughts before turning to his food and finally eating. “Tell me all that you’ve noticed so far then,” he says, hearing Minseok hum in response before speaking.

“Yixing Zhang is quick and powerful in a way that can also be subtle if needed,” Minseok starts off. “His defense is impeccable and seems to not have any weak spots except if attacked on his back. He appears to stumble or stagger after being hit to his lower back, which could have been from a previous injury that never recovered before you came into contact with him. There were also examples of his hemophilia acting up when he suffered a punch to his right cheek and the wound continued to darken and swell until the end of the match. However, he was still able to emerge victorious despite his right eye closing as a result of that injury.”

“Mm,” Chanyeol hums, as he continues to slurp his noodles, one of his favorite dishes of Minseok’s. “That’s right,” he murmurs afterwards, reaching forward to grab more steamed vegetables on another plate. “Anything else?”

“Your bond with him must have gotten much stronger,” Minseok slips, grabbing his first can of plasma fluids. “You seemed very concerned whenever he got hit. He didn’t seem affected by it though other than physically.”

Chanyeol stills at his words, turning to look over at his android confused. “Of course I would be concerned. I invested a lot of money into him.”

“And how much longer is he able to fight before age comes up?” Minseok asks in return, mirroring his expression back at him. “By my calculations, he seems to be the same age as you or older. I had assumed fighters retired near the age of thirty-five or forty. For him, it might be sooner due to his extensive history.”

There’s something unsettling in Minseok’s choice of words. Chanyeol squints at him, out of habit, and he gasps when he realizes why. “You did _not_ hack into EVOLVE’s system to retrieve that information! I didn’t tell you anything about his extensive history!” It appeases him the slightest bit to experience Minseok’s sheepish expression. “Minseok,” he groans, dropping his chopsticks and slumping against his chair. “How many times have I told you to not do that? The last time you got caught, I had to pay a hefty fine for your crime.”

Minseok scoffs, side-eyeing him. “The last time I got caught was five years ago. Since then, you’ve easily made up all that money and then some.” He pouts then, so unlike an android. Chanyeol still can’t believe it at times. “Plus, you wouldn’t disclose anything about his victories or defeats.”

“You didn’t ask!”

“The point being,” Minseok cuts off, reaching out to tap his shoulder, hard. “His history is extensive. I calculate he will be able to participate in enough fights to hit one thousand before he retires. You also have sauce on your lips.”

Chanyeol’s too busy frowning to comprehend the last sentence, too busy eating more of his meal. “I also assume you didn’t get caught reading his entire file.” He flinches when Minseok throws a napkin at him. “What?”

“Sauce. Lips.” Minseok grins. “Of course I didn’t get caught. I also applied for Yixing to be released for you.”

“What?!” Chanyeol shouts, effectively choking on a piece of broccoli. “Minseok!” He’s tempted to shut him down, only to allow himself a minute to breathe correctly and regain his life back, but he refrains. He refrains and almost dies in the process. “Why?!”

Minseok shrugs, not a care in the world. “I had contacted Kyungsoo as well. He seems to enjoy his player’s presence by his side. According to their win streak, I believe this to be an effective way to retain your reputation and leave a legend behind alongside your friend.”

Well, that wasn’t Chanyeol’s thought process. Actually, he didn’t really have any thought process other than the responsibility of caring for another person. He can’t personally take care of Yixing when his injuries become as rough as it had been the past week. “How did you even sign it?” he asks instead, slowing his breathing down to something respectably normal. “You need my biological signature.”

“In your sleep.”

“Minseok!” Chanyeol shouts, appalled. “Okay, I’m sorry, but I need a breather,” he warns, before he sees Minseok’s eyes widen and he says, “Android, shut down.”

Within seconds, Minseok’s eyes dim and his entire body sags against the chair he’s in. Chanyeol reaches out to close his eyes before he’s rushing out of the dining room to find his personal phone. It’s one that can provide a secure line, with a number that changes every hour for security, and he inserts a specific code number before putting the phone up to his ear.

There are several rings, three when Chanyeol counts, before he can hear a sweet voice answer. “Hello? Is this Sir Chanyeol Park?”

“Jongdae,” Chanyeol breathes, feeling reassured already. He walks back out to his living room, where he paces the length of it. “I apologize for contacting you directly. I wasn’t sure which number I should’ve contacted Kyungsoo on.”

“It’s okay!” Jongdae says, voice as chipper as always. It suits him though, always smiling, always happy. “I will fetch Kyungsoo and transfer over your call to his secured line.”

There’s a moment of silence where Jongdae transfers the call and then Chanyeol can hear soft murmurs in the background before Kyungsoo answers. “Chanyeol,” he greets, sounding confused. “What happened? Why did you contact Jongdae directly?” The only times they contact each other’s androids directly was for sensitive matters and he isn’t sure, but Chanyeol is starting to think he’s overreacting.

“I think I overreacted,” Chanyeol confesses, sighing, as he slumps back into his couch. The sun is bright today, no clouds in the sky, and it warms him where it enters the part of the glass roof of his ceiling. “Minseok told me he sent in an application for Yixing to leave EVOLVE with me,” he pauses, “On my behalf.”

“Oh yeah,” Kyungsoo breathes, before he laughs. “Your application still managed to get its way to me. It got approved through two-thirds of the panel.”

Chanyeol feels like he might faint, which is definitely a foreign feeling. “I didn’t ask him to do this. I just won my tenth battle yesterday. What am I even going to do if I get approved and Yixing is able to leave the facility? What do you even do with Baekhyun when you’re not fighting?”

“I know,” Kyungsoo murmurs. “Your application still has to be approved one hundred percent and your entire background has to be evaluated to ensure there will be no defect with Yixing and his ability to participate in games. If any one of those is lacking, your application is denied and virtually shredded.” He doesn’t say anything else and Chanyeol groans.

“What do I do with him if I do get approved though? I’m not the best when interacting with other humans.”

Kyungsoo’s voice is soft when he speaks, barely heard over the line. “They act like androids, Chanyeol. I know how you act with Minseok. Simply act with Yixing the same way.” He’s murmuring something again, away from the phone, before returning. “Players don’t do much outside of the facility. All they need is nourishment, basic bathroom necessities, and rest. They will accompany you wherever you go, at your request, or they may stay behind.”

Chanyeol frowns at that, confused, “I thought the players had to be at their owner’s side twenty-four seven.”

“If I leave Baekhyun with Jongdae in my house, it’s practically the same concept,” Kyungsoo explains. “I own Jongdae who has become an extension of myself. Baekhyun is technically allowed to stay if Jongdae is beside him because then there would be no defect. I will instantly know if something happens in my physical absence.”

“There has to be a setback,” Chanyeol accuses, knowing it can’t be that simple. If everything in life were that simple, he wouldn’t have been able to keep Minseok all those years ago.

“You can’t let anybody see you without your player,” Kyungsoo simply explains, though he’s hinting at something more, and Chanyeol thinks he gets it.

“We can’t visit any public places,” Chanyeol explains, hearing Kyungsoo hum. “Otherwise, we would be questioned as having some ulterior motive for leaving our players alone,” he pauses then, confused. “Where do you go without him?”

Kyungsoo laughs softly, as if that’s a silly question. “Obviously, the bathroom.”

Chanyeol rolls his eyes. “Okay, nevermind. Forget I asked that.”

“Anyways,” Kyungsoo says and Chanyeol can hear the smile in his voice. “Have you calmed down yet? Where’s Minseok?”

Automatically, Chanyeol groans. He pushes himself off of his couch and straightens his clothes before entering his dining room again. The food has gone cold by now and Minseok’s cans have gotten warm. “I panicked earlier, do you recall?” he asks, hearing Kyungsoo’s groan echo through the line. “Well, Minseok informed me of his decisions. I panicked. I apologized. I shut him down.”

“Chanyeol!” Kyungsoo shouts, causing him to flinch. “I haven’t kept in contact with you for months and the moment I do, everything goes to shit. Do you know how mad Minseok will be when you wake him back up?”

“Everything hasn’t gone to shit,” Chanyeol hisses back, hearing Jongdae’s whining voice in the background. “Nothing can go to shit when I’m Chanyeol Park from Park Industries.”

“The confidence you have in yourself is astounding.”

Chanyeol clicks his tongue at his friend, though he eyes Minseok warily. “At least I’m capable of cleaning up my own shit,” he mutters, wondering when he should wake Minseok up. Although, the sooner he wakes him up, the better it will be in the end. “I overreacted. I admit my fault.”

“Yeah,” Kyungsoo drawls, “That’s one step taken in the right direction.”

“Honestly, your life must’ve been boring without my presence,” Chanyeol fires back. He’s still staring at Minseok. “What have you been doing while we lost contact?”

“EVOLVE” is Kyungsoo’s simple answer before he sighs, aggravated. “Wake up Minseok. Your application is still processing. I’ll see you on Monday. I’ll even bring Jongdae along to keep Minseok company for dinner next week.” He pauses then. “Yeah, I wish you luck with Minseok. Farewell.”

Chanyeol doesn’t even have the time to grumble at Kyungsoo’s words before Kyungsoo hangs up on him. The phone goes silent, taunting him, and he jumps when he receives a message and it instantly pops up from the screen. The words are holographic and they’re from Kyungsoo.

 _Expect a challenge from me on Monday_.

Groaning, Chanyeol moves to take a few steps back away from his android, hoping nothing bad will happen to him. “Minseok, android,” he calls, taking another step back for good measure. “Boot up.”

It takes several minutes. Chanyeol can see the way Minseok’s chest expands as it breathes in air before releasing it. He can see the way Minseok’s eyes flutter before they open, the artificial life returning to his eyes, and the way Minseok’s body becomes rigid for a second before relaxing again. And then Minseok is turning to him, expression livid.

“You fucking _shut me down_!”

 

It’s been a while since Chanyeol has felt physically exhausted. Any strenuous physical activity has practically become extinct over the past few decades. There aren’t many malnourished people or overly fed citizens, but that’s due to the fact nutrition around the world has changed along with the development of androids and medical facilities. Surgeries have become more common as well as having androids cooking and performing housework to what’s needed for the owner. It’s actually fascinating to think about, if it wasn’t for Minseok beating him up senselessly over the weekend.

Chanyeol winces as he turns a corner, the normally smooth cotton of his dress shirt rubbing his bruises and cuts on his torso in the wrong way, but he relaxes once he’s walking in a straight path again. He couldn’t handle sitting behind his desk at work, every small movement making his injuries worse despite the fact Minseok put ointments, creams, and even gave him medicine to take to quell the spikes of pain. He winces when he turns another corner before arriving to Yixing’s room.

Placing his hand on the scanner by the door, he eyes his player through the window. Yixing is stretched out all over his bed, making his left foot and hand dangle off the edge, but he looks entirely comfortable. And asleep. “Yixing,” Chanyeol calls once the door opens, stepping inside to peer at his player closer. His player doesn’t move, but the bruises on his face have seemed to heal up almost entirely. Black and purple have faded to faint yellows and greens and Chanyeol bets it’s the same with Yixing’s torso if he removed the blanket. “Yixing,” he calls again, tempted to kick the edge of the bed to wake him up. He has a fight at fourteen o’clock in the afternoon, about three hours from now, and Chanyeol needs to know that Yixing is ready for his fight. “Yixing!”

Yixing doesn’t say anything when he opens his eyes, but he does blink, one, two, three times. It’s like he’s trying to push sleep out of his eyes, but then his gaze focuses on him. Nothing changes with his expression. He simply pulls himself to sit up, the sheet falling to his waist at the action. Chanyeol eyes his chest and stomach then, surveying the healing bruises and cuts, but they all seem to be practically gone now. Of course, the medical facility within EVOLVE would be of the highest degree.

“Strength,” Chanyeol starts off with, watching as Yixing blinks up at him once again before looking away.

“Ninety-eight percent.”

“Stamina.”

“Ninety-seven percent.”

“Energy.”

“Ninety-seven percent.”

“Are you ready for your fight today?” Chanyeol asks, eyebrows furrowing together when he sees Yixing blink up at him again.

“I have not had the appropriate amount of nutrition to perform a respectable fight for you today, sir,” Yixing answers before he’s looking away again. He doesn’t say anything else and Chanyeol finds himself confused.

“What do you mean?”

“My meal was not prepped adequately this morning.”

Chanyeol opens his mouth to ask more, to figure out _why_ his meal wasn’t up to par with everything else in this facility, but then he shuts it when he watches Yixing reach over to the table closest to him. His muscles stretch taut and flex when Yixing grabs his shirt and pulls it over his head. It’s his normal gear, his gloves still on the table next to them, but Chanyeol doesn’t understand what’s going on until Yixing is climbing out of bed, pants already on for his fight.

“Otherwise, I am in peak condition to fight today, sir,” Yixing says, as a consolatory message, and Chanyeol frowns.

“If you require more food, then I will request it. They cannot deny me anything in here,” Chanyeol says, voice low, as he watches Yixing tilt his head down minutely before he’s reaching for his gloves next. “I will consult with an android and ensure you receive your appropriate meals.”

“Yes, sir,” Yixing answers, and it’s then that Chanyeol realizes how much Yixing has been talking to him. Last week, he didn’t speak much. He only spoke what was necessary. Even now, he still speaks when spoken to but he gives away more information.

Chanyeol eyes him, from head to toe, before he’s turning around to leave the room. “Our next fight is in three hours. Do you need anything else to prepare?” He makes his way down the hallway he entered, now knowing which turns to take to arrive at the destination he wants, but he doesn’t know if Yixing truly needs more food to fight. He looks over his shoulder to glance at his player. He looks the same as every other time he’s seen him.

“No, sir.”

Nodding, Chanyeol looks ahead of him. He takes them down another hallway to make it to a separate lobby, where owners and players rest and waste time watching ongoing fights on the large screen until its their turn, and he takes a cursory glance around the room to see other owners he recognizes, only for the sheer fact he’s made business deals with all of them in some form in the past.

Nobody greets him except for a couple of elderly women he’s managed to charm despite taking half of their property and he chooses an empty seat nearest the back. There’s a small coffee table next to it, with tablets provided for light reading, but he doesn’t pay them any mind in favor of watching the fight on the screen. Baekhyun’s fighting. He’s all quick wit and swift moves, less power but more defense. Chanyeol looks over to his own fighter, standing next to him, and wonders how he would adapt against Baekhyun. He doesn’t know who would move first.

“Refreshments?” a service android questions, walking up to them with a tray of hors d’oeuvre and small glasses of water with ice.

Chanyeol looks up at it, watching as it bends at the waist and holds the tray out in front of him, and he reaches for a napkin from its other outstretched hand to grab a couple of snacks. He grabs a glass of water after before nodding at it, signaling its leave. He eats one of the hors d’oeuvre, taking small bites of it, when he suddenly sees a foot shifting in his field of vision. Curious, he looks down before following the leg it’s attached to see Yixing staring at the screen in front of them. The shifting stops when Chanyeol stares at him. He doesn’t call his name, but he watches him from the corners of his eyes as he finishes the snack in his hand.

 _WINNER : KYUNGSOO DO_ flashes across the screen in front of them and almost instantly, quiet murmurs erupt in the lobby. It should come as no surprise though, considering Kyungsoo and Baekhyun’s win streak. It might as well be a match for the century if Chanyeol’s going up against them.

Suddenly, Chanyeol hears a faint sound, almost a gurgle or a grumble, and he frowns confused. He looks around for the source, the sound fading as quickly as it came, and he looks over to Yixing confused. There’s no change in expression on Yixing’s face but then the grumble sounds faintly again and Chanyeol wants to laugh. Of course, Yixing is classified as human.

Slowly, Chanyeol glances around the room. Nobody is paying attention to them. They’re all too focused on the next fight about to take place, so he reaches out with his hand with the last hors d’oeuvre on it. He’s never really experienced hunger, but if Yixing said he didn’t have an appropriate meal earlier, then he may be hungry from the lack of food. “Yixing,” he calls quietly, causing Yixing to look down at him. Yixing stares at his outstretched hand before looking to his eyes. “Eat the hors d’oeuvre.” If it’s possible, Yixing’s eyes darken the slightest bit before looking to the food on his hand.

The people nearest them are a few seats away. They’re minding their own business, scrolling through tablets, their wallets, or watching the fight on the screen. Chanyeol doesn’t think anybody is paying attention, but Yixing hesitates. He only stares at the food in his hand and Chanyeol frowns at him before he looks around slowly, trying to see if anyone really _is_ paying attention to them. It shouldn’t be taboo to feed his own player, but apparently it is.

“Yixing,” Chanyeol murmurs, easily catching his attention again. “Bend at the waist. Open your mouth.” He eyes the entire lobby again before realizing his words. “Let me feed you. Pure intentions.” Yixing’s eyes are slightly wide when he turns to face him again, but then he’s bending over slightly and opening his mouth.

Without hesitation, Chanyeol plucks the leftover hors d’oeuvre off of the napkin in his left hand and gently places it in Yixing’s mouth. There aren’t any words exchanged between them, but Yixing straightens immediately afterwards and silently chews his food. He looks inexplicably happy, like they’ve won the fight of the century, but then Chanyeol thinks his eyes are playing tricks on him when Yixing’s entire expression falls into something neutral again. Yixing retains his normal stance, standing next to him as all the other players in the lobby are, and the only reason Chanyeol looks away is when another android walks by to collect his trash.

 

“Yixing, fight,” Chanyeol murmurs, watching as Yixing rushes for his opponent who’s physically bigger and stronger than him. He tries to tackle him to the ground, only to get thrown off, and Chanyeol scowls as he glances up at their opponent’s owner in the glass box across from him. “Yixing, dodge.”

The other opponent appears to be around the same age as him. He’s not as expressive as Seungwan but not as stoic as Kyungsoo tends to be during fights. His eyes show a fire the rest of his face doesn’t exude and Chanyeol frowns as he looks away from him and down to the fight below them.

Yixing is currently dodging every attack dealt to him. He blocks what he can’t dodge and Chanyeol can practically hear the pained grunts echoing in his head. They haven’t had a chance to fight against someone noticeably bigger than them. It’s throwing Chanyeol off. But he thinks of Yixing’s assets, his strengths and agility. “Yixing,” Chanyeol calls, “Do what is required of you to win. I will keep you updated.”

The shift in Yixing’s posture is different. It’s not fluid like the time he fought Seungwan’s player, but it isn’t relying on blocking and countering. Instead, it looks like Yixing is going for pure power, steps strong and arms stronger, as he punches his opponent in the face. It’s enough to make the other player stumble back, but then he’s lunging for Yixing who dodges and tries to land a kick in his stomach. It fails. The opponent grabs Yixing’s leg and picks him up, tossing him over and making him skid along the ground.

There are scratches and bruises forming all over Yixing’s arms and he’s breathing hard. Chanyeol can’t figure out anything about their opponent other than the fact he has pure strength backing up all his attacks and defense. The only strategy he can think of is to attack the man from behind but even then, that’ll be hard with all the muscle underneath his skin.

“Yixing,” Chanyeol suddenly says, watching as his player tries to dodge several more attacks. “Aim for the body’s weak spots: behind the knees, crooks of the elbows, uppercut and temples of the head to throw off his balance. Do not do a phoenix jab to the temple. Do not eliminate.”

Yixing does as told, trying to aim for the areas he specified, but he only succeeds about fifty percent of it. He manages to knock his opponent down to his knees before he gets punched in the stomach, causing him to visibly lose his breath and tumble back to the ground. Their opponent easily springs up, pinning Yixing to the ground with a hand around his throat, and Chanyeol jumps in his seat when he sees Yixing struggling to breathe.

“Yixing, aim for the inner thighs. Knock him down. Yixing!”

There’s a faint grunt that echoes throughout the arena, as Yixing flails underneath their opponent, and Chanyeol feels his heart stop when Yixing’s movements slow down. Yixing’s face is red, glaring hard at their opponent, and Chanyeol doesn’t know what to do. “Yixing!”

A moment of silence passes, as Chanyeol looks up to see the other owner smirking at him, but then they hear a scream and Chanyeol looks down to see the opponent knocked to his side with Yixing punching him right in the middle of his chest. He does it once, twice, thrice before he’s getting back up and staying just out of arm’s reach from their opponent. Yixing doesn’t hold onto his neck but Chanyeol can see the clear ring of red and purple around it. “Yixing,” Chanyeol calls, voice steady despite his shaking body. That was too close. They haven’t fought anybody yet that could bring Yixing down and almost kill him. “Finish the battle.”

Chanyeol tries to watch the fight as closely as he can without moving from his seat. The opponent is still defending and attacking as much as he had been the past forty minutes, but he winces now with certain movements. Yixing tries to attack the weak spots, gasping for breath every few minutes, and Chanyeol feels himself start to sweat by the time the fight is called and Yixing emerges as the victor. Their opponent is left on the ground, breathing harshly, and Chanyeol mutters a quick, “Yixing, return,” before any more harm can come to him.

Looking up, Chanyeol barely catches a glimpse of the other owner before he gets up and storms off. He takes that as his cue, getting up quickly as well, and he exits his room to meet Yixing in the hallway outside of the arena doors the floor below. He isn’t surprised to see Yixing worse up close, but he _is_ surprised that a service android is helping Yixing stay on his feet.

“Yixing,” Chanyeol calls, removing his earpiece to slip into his pocket. His player looks up at him then, his left eye bruising and swelling, and there is no possible way he’s in peak condition to fight Baekhyun in five hours. “Android, bring him to the medical ward.”

“Yes, sir,” the android responds immediately, allowing Yixing to wrap an arm around its shoulders. Together, they walk slowly and Chanyeol frowns. The red ring is becoming purple and blue around Yixing’s neck.

Quietly, Chanyeol follows after them. He ensures his player doesn’t fall over, watches the android handling him, and he doesn’t know how to react to this situation at all. This is the worst he’s seen Yixing get injured. Granted, this is only their eleventh fight, but death was a close call and he invested too much money in him for him to die that quickly.

It seems to take forever to reach the medic ward, where the android guides them towards another wing of the unit different from the last time, and Chanyeol frowns when he realizes they’re being sectioned off into a separate, private room. “Explanation, android,” he demands, watching as Yixing flinches as he sits on the edge of the bed.

“Injuries of Player 1007 are severe,” the android informs, scanning Yixing’s body once more. “In the need for immediate emergency care, it is best Player 1007 is in a private room for treatment.”

That doesn’t answer any of Chanyeol’s questions. He knows Yixing’s injuries are severe, but _why?_ “Further explanation, android.”

“Player 1007 has suffered moderate to severe damage to his throat, where his trachea, vocal cords, and esophagus are located. All of these organs are vital for life. Player 1007 has also suffered moderate to severe damage to his abdomen, where vital organs lay. Internal bleeding may have occurred due to Player 1007’s medical condition of hemophilia. Player 1007 may also have suffered damage to the transponder slash receiver in his head. This requires special attention of human physicians to ensure Player 1007 has not been compromised.”

Chanyeol listens as the list continues, frowning as he nods at Yixing to lie down on the bed. It looks considerably softer than what is in his room and he almost smiles when Yixing appears relieved at how it feels underneath him. “Android,” Chanyeol interrupts, listening as the android immediately stops speaking. “How long will Player 1007’s treatment last?”

“Possibly four hours, sir, depending on the efficiency of the physicians and their treatment methods.”

“I thank you,” Chanyeol tells the android, watching as it turns around and leaves the room. There are only two of them left, in a room reminiscent of old hospitals from the past, and Chanyeol searches for any hints of cameras that could be recording them. He should cancel his fight with Kyungsoo, tell him Yixing is in no condition to fight, but he should also wait it out and see if Yixing will be in optimal condition to fight Baekhyun. “Yixing,” he says, looking to him again, and he’s surprised to see how tired his player looks. Exhaustion pools in Yixing’s eyes and that’s strange.

“If I fight Baekhyun,” Yixing murmurs, voice soft and hoarse. It’s obvious he hurts when he speaks, but he continues on anyways. Chanyeol doesn’t understand. “I will not win in this condition.”

“Yixing.” Chanyeol’s confused. He didn’t think players could speak unless spoken to. He hadn’t asked anything about Yixing’s condition or his ability to fight Baekhyun. “What are you saying?”

Yixing closes his eyes then. He tries to breathe in deep, but he winces instead, whimpering in pain. “I do not think I will survive,” he whispers. “I do not understand what is going on.”

Chanyeol frowns, stepping closer to hear his player’s words. “What do you mean you don’t understand what’s going on?” he whispers, trying to keep their voices low. Is his player defective? Did something happen during that fight to make him defective?

When Yixing opens his eyes, Chanyeol can see them watering with tears that want to spill. It confuses Chanyeol, even more when his heart aches at the sight, and he leans in closer to hear what Yixing has to say. “I did not know these games were real,” Yixing confesses, before the door to the room opens. All too quickly, Yixing returns to staring up at the ceiling, emotions fading from his eyes, and Chanyeol looks over his shoulder to see another human entering the room.

It’s a physician, noted by the medical red cross emblazoned on the left breast of his white coat, and he’s busy scrolling through a hologram of what looks like files in front of him. It originates from the watch on his left wrist and Chanyeol can see images of Yixing in the file from where he stands. When the physician looks at him, Chanyeol straightens enough to nod his head towards him in acknowledgement.

“Greetings, Mr. Park,” the doctor says, gaze returning to the file in front of him. “The patient in this room is Player 1007. Am I correct?”

“Yes,” Chanyeol answers, not knowing whether to address the physician as someone higher than him in rank or not. There’s always been a controversy between them. Those who prioritize business think of themselves as the top of the food chain while those who prioritize medicine think of themselves as the same. Chanyeol isn’t used to addressing anyone higher than him, because there hasn’t been as long as he’s known.

“There is a long list of injuries listed here by the android that escorted you here. I assume you do not want this list repeated to you.”

“No,” Chanyeol affirms, watching as the doctor steps closer towards them. He eyes the physician, knowing that each one if more capable of matters beyond life and death if they choose, and he starts to wonder about Yixing’s condition, his words.

The physician nods in approval before swiping his hand down, making the hologram return back into his watch. “Do you wish to remain in the room as I examine your player? You do not have to, of course, but I always give the option so you recognize I am giving the best care possible.”

Instinctively, Chanyeol looks to Yixing. His player is still staring up at the ceiling but Chanyeol can see the hint of hesitation in his eyes. It’s similar to Minseok when he doesn’t know if he wants another can of fuel or not and despite the disparity in situations, the emotions are similar. “I wish to stay,” Chanyeol says, returning to face the physician. “I will observe your care of my player.”

Within minutes, the physician nods his head in approval, politely asks Chanyeol to move so he can reach Yixing with ease, and starts examining Yixing as if he was an android himself. It relaxes Chanyeol into a false sense of security, watching as the doctor asks Yixing to remove his shirt and pants to see bare skin, and Chanyeol tries to keep an objective view as each new bruise and scar is revealed to him. Not one inch of skin is unblemished like his own and Chanyeol frowns as the doctor pulls out items from the numerous carts and cabinets near him.

There are different needles and bags placed on the table next to them and Chanyeol watches as the doctor cleans a patch of skin on the inside of Yixing’s right elbow with alcohol. It’s pungent, blasting through Chanyeol’s senses, and then he sees the doctor pick up one of the small needles and easily inserts it into the area he just cleaned. After, the doctor grabs one of the bags full of clear fluid and connects a thin tube between that and the end of the needle.

“Android,” the physician calls and almost immediately, an android enters the room behind Chanyeol. He watches as the android walks over to the doctor before extending a hand up towards the ceiling. The android pushes at it, slides a hatch on the ceiling, before it pulls down something that looks like a hook. Automatically, the android grabs the bag of clear fluids and hangs it on there.

“What are you doing?” Chanyeol asks, demands, taking a step closer to actually see what this man is doing to his player. The physician is injecting something else into the small tube, another clear liquid, and Chanyeol looks to Yixing’s face for any signs of discomfort or pain.

“I am injecting your player with a medicinal concoction of pain relievers that will also help speed up his healing process to about fifty percent. This will cause your player to fall asleep within ten minutes to help his cells regenerate at a quicker pace.”

Chanyeol hums his acknowledgment, carefully watching as Yixing’s eyes start to droop closed. He tries to give his player a reassuring nod when he glances at him, but then he falls asleep before he even sees his gesture. “I entrust my player to you,” Chanyeol says, voice low. “When should I return?”

“The actual care of your player may take two hours, but it is up to your player’s body when he will wake. The progress of his healing depends on his body. I assume he will have recovered about forty-five percent of his health by the time four hours are up.”

Chanyeol looks to his watch then, seeing the analog clock pop up in holographic form, before he notes the time. “Okay,” he answers, looking back to the physician before staring at Yixing. “I will return in two hours’ time.”

“I will do my best” comes the response before Chanyeol turns on his heels and leaves the room.

Immediately, he turns back down the hallway he came from. He leaves the entire medical unit before pulling out his personal phone. “Call Kyungsoo Do,” he murmurs into the speaker. He hears the dial tone sound as he puts it up to his ear and he waits, hoping his friend isn’t in another fight so soon.

“Kyungsoo speaking.”

“Kyungsoo,” Chanyeol breathes, keeping his voice low. “I request a meeting with you. Are you preparing for a fight?”

Kyungsoo’s voice is low too when he speaks and it sounds like he’s trying to be as cautious as Chanyeol feels. “I will fetch an android to escort you to my office. My next fight isn’t until tonight.” He doesn’t mention that it’s their upcoming match, but Chanyeol understands it anyways.

Chanyeol sighs softly, “Great.”

 

The moment Chanyeol sees Kyungsoo, he’s amazed with how flawless Baekhyun looks in his fighting outfit up close. There are barely any scratches or bruises on him. He has faint scars, but it’s nothing compared to what Yixing endured earlier that day.

“What is it?” Kyungsoo asks, the moment the door closes behind them. He immediately moves to the area behind his desk and shuts down his entire office. At the side of the room, Baekhyun remains in his spot and Chanyeol has to give it to him and Kyungsoo. Baekhyun does appear intimidating enough to be a bodyguard.

“Yixing is badly injured,” Chanyeol says, turning to look back at his friend. “I don’t think he’s in peak condition to fight.”

Kyungsoo shrugs. “Neither is Baekhyun.”

“Yixing told me he’ll die if he faces Baekhyun in the condition he’s in.” There’s a moment of silence where Chanyeol simply _watches_ his friend. He can see the confusion swirling in his eyes and the frown pulling on his lips and it sounds _strange_. Chanyeol _knows_ it sounds strange, but he also knows what he heard from the man himself. “He told me without prompt, Kyungsoo. I thought players aren’t supposed to speak out of line.”

Kyungsoo immediately glances over to Baekhyun and Chanyeol follows him with his gaze. Kyungsoo’s player hasn’t changed expressions, but Chanyeol didn’t know what to expect from him anyways. “They aren’t,” Kyungsoo confirms, though he continues to stare at Baekhyun.

“I request a withdrawal until Yixing is in his peak condition or, at least, a change in opponent,” Chanyeol appeals, waiting for Kyungsoo to look back at him instead. “Kyungsoo, don’t tell anyone about Yixing’s words. It might’ve happened after he almost got beat by our last opponent. He was hit a lot and the android who examined him said that his transponder in his head may have gotten jostled around.”

There’s a moment where Chanyeol panics, wondering what’d happen to Yixing if he has to be re-evaluated then thrown away for becoming defective, but then he sees Kyungsoo slide his gaze over to him, still expressionless. “I won’t tell,” he murmurs, voice low and sincere. “Chanyeol, you hold custody over Yixing. If he becomes defective, you will still have to sign to return him.” His eyes soften then. “You’ve always been more soft-hearted than I remember, despite your appearance and position within society. As long as you and Yixing continue to fight as what is considered normal in EVOLVE, I see no problem with his condition.”

Chanyeol frowns. “Have you heard of this though? Of players speaking without their owner’s consent?”

“Of course,” Kyungsoo answers, sighing, as he sits in his leather chair and relaxes. “There have been many instances, but we try to keep it out of the public eye. It’s not good for our business for everyone to know we still have defects in our system.”

“What happens to those who don’t revert back?” Chanyeol asks, moving to sit down in the chair opposite of his friend. “What if they stay defected?”

“As everything else that becomes useless,” Kyungsoo shrugs, “They get tossed away.”

It’s not unusual. In fact, Chanyeol never thinks twice about that. Once a pen runs out of ink, it gets thrown away. Once a tablet loses its charge permanently, it gets thrown away. It’s the same for humans and androids, especially in a business like this one. Once a fighter can’t fight as well as they used to, they’re forced to retire and get thrown away. Chanyeol doesn’t know where they go though. For all he knows, he’s never witnessed an older fighter wandering the streets–or anybody else not in a dress or suit, for that matter–or in any businesses and stores he needs to visit in person. He’s never actually considered any other human who passes away from old age.

Suddenly, Chanyeol looks to Baekhyun, who isn’t staring at either of them. He doesn’t flinch, doesn’t move. He’s so much like an android but he’s human, just like Yixing. “I request to have our fight rescheduled,” Chanyeol murmurs, instead of the words he really wants to say. He faces Kyungsoo again and Chanyeol isn’t sure, but he thinks he sees the emotion of pain in Kyungsoo’s eyes. “If Yixing needs to fight a second match today, it cannot be you and Baekhyun.”

“I understand,” Kyungsoo says quietly. He looks to his desk next but makes no move to touch it. Once he does, all the technology in his office becomes activated again. “Our fight was supposed to be the last one of the day. I will switch opponents around and enter in the fight before our original slot time. This should allow Yixing some time to recover.”

It’s like a weight has been lifted off of Chanyeol’s shoulders, allowing him to breathe easier, and without thinking, he slumps back into the chair he’s in. He unbuttons his jacket and simply stares at the ceiling.

Several minutes pass, where they all keep silent, lost in their own thoughts, and Chanyeol forgets there are other people in the room. He’s used to being alone, only having Minseok doing his activities elsewhere in the house, and it isn’t until he hears Kyungsoo’s sigh, a soft, “Baekhyun, go sit down,” leave his lips, that he remembers there is someone else in the room with him, let alone two.

Kyungsoo isn’t looking anywhere in particular but Chanyeol can hear Baekhyun’s quiet footsteps until there’s a soft sigh and silence following after. He knows that Kyungsoo’s player has taken a seat in the chair in the corner of the room, but it doesn’t make him any less curious. He guesses it’s not the right time to ask though, not when Kyungsoo is reaching for his desk and activating all the technology in the room.

There’s a moment where Kyungsoo takes his time swiping through all the pages and schedules he pulls up. He brings up a live stream video of the current fight taking place and swipes his hand up from the desk, causing it to display to the side of the room in full screen. One of the participants is Seungwan and it looks like she’s winning.

“Hyojung is one of the participants at nineteen o’clock. I will reschedule her to fight against you an hour later at your scheduled time,” Kyungsoo informs, tapping his fingers against the desk in what Chanyeol assume is an explanation or letter. “I will take her opponent and everything should be set.”

“Thank you, Kyungsoo,” Chanyeol murmurs quietly, still eyeing the match going on. Seungwan really is doing much better.

“Oh,” Kyungsoo says, causing Chanyeol to look back at him. “Your application is being processed.”

Chanyeol’s eyebrows furrow together, confused. “Yes,” he answers, slowly. “I thought this has already been established.” The glare he receives in return is warranted.

“As I was saying,” Kyungsoo emphasizes, huffing. “Your application is being processed, smoothly, as in you will need to have a complete background check by the end of the week.”

“ _What?_ ” Chanyeol asks, incredulous. “Isn’t that a bit fast?”

At this, Kyungsoo shrugs. “It took me around two to four weeks to be approved.”

“How is that even possible?”

“The panel sees Yixing and you as a second Baekhyun and me,” Kyungsoo explains with a sigh, as he leans forward and places his elbow on his desk, chin in his palm. He looks positively bored, but his eyes shine with something Chanyeol can’t recognize. “It’s not publicized either, but we also run a gambling ring inside the facility. It’s within legal limits. Whatever becomes a fine, we can easily pay. A lot of people bet on Baekhyun and I to win our fights. If we have a second pair that can guarantee wins, our profit could essentially double within one year.” Kyungsoo’s stare shifts from him to Baekhyun and Chanyeol doesn’t know what to make of it. “It would take some stress off of us, if it was you,” Kyungsoo confesses, looking back to Chanyeol after. “With the infamous Park name associated with EVOLVE, our ratings would skyrocket as well.”

Chanyeol can’t help but laugh at that, sardonically, “There are plenty of Parks out there.”

“Yeah, but _you’re_ one of the Parks who helped develop this entire city.”

Chanyeol grows quiet at that. If he’s being honest about it, he should’ve still expected to hear about his family _and_ their name even after his parents and sister had left the city. He thought he could blend in with the rest of society, knowing not many people had seen him while growing up. Most others only knew him as a young, strangely chubby kid who played around with their house android a lot, not the man he is now. He barely even looks like how he did then and the only surgery he obtained was the one for his vision.

“They want you approved,” Kyungsoo restates, returning to eyeing him. “It was a pleasant surprise to see you put in your application to become a participant. It was even more surprising to see how Yixing easily fit into your preferences. Baekhyun, for me, is a blessing. I can only assume it will be the same for you.” The corners of Kyungsoo’s lips twitch up, in what could almost be a smile if not for his hand partially covering his lips. “It’s a wonder too, really, because Yixing is considered number one in our pool of fighters. The only thing holding him back was the proper owner and his medical condition.”

“What?” Chanyeol asks, surprised, as he looks over his shoulder at Baekhyun. He doesn’t look any different but when he turns back to face Kyungsoo, his gaze has softened. “What do you mean Yixing is number one?” Then, his phone rings.

“As I said,” Kyungsoo simply answers, leaning back away from his desk to rest against his chair. “Answer that. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Instinctively, Chanyeol frowns. He pulls out his phone and easily taps it, putting it up to his ear, “Yes.” He wasn’t planning on visiting tomorrow.

“Yixing is ready,” the physician says over the speaker. “You may examine him for any faults in my work.”

Chanyeol hums, murmurs an “I’ll be right there,” before he hangs up and stares at Kyungsoo. His friend is simply sitting there, watching the fight on the screen to the side. “Kyungsoo,” he says, watching as his friend’s eyebrow rises in response.

“It shouldn’t come as a surprise, Chanyeol,” Kyungsoo murmurs, turning to face him again. “You’re one of the best humans I know. It’s only right you deserve one of the best fighters we have to offer.” His expression softens as he nods his head off to the side, signaling Baekhyun to stand. “I wish you luck for your upcoming fight tonight. I will have our match rescheduled for Friday night.”

As Chanyeol leaves the room, courtesy of Baekhyun opening the door for him, it’s interesting to see how this fighter knows what his owner needs with only the shake of the head.

 

Out of all the scenarios Chanyeol could’ve possibly thought of from the time he left Yixing to the time he returned, he didn’t expect to see most of the swelling on Yixing’s face gone or the bruises all over his body to already appear to be in its healing stages. It’s almost as if he was gone for a whole week and not a few hours.

“He is still unconscious,” the physician reports, “His transponder had been jostled during his last fight, but we have returned it to its natural spot in his head. He should still be functioning as normal. The only concerns I have are the hairline and stress fractures to his ribs. He is still able to fight as normal but may need the requirement of pain relievers to dull it long enough for his fight to end.” He hums then. “Also, he should not be hit in the chest more than he is capable. It may result in a punctured or collapsed lung if the fractures in his ribs worsen.”

Yixing’s hair looks damp and there’s a light sheen of sweat covering his face and entire upper torso. He lies still on the bed but it’s as if he’s been fighting for the past two hours. “I’m satisfied with your care,” he comments to the physician, hearing him say a small “ah” in response. “I thank you. I will wait here until he awakens and ensure he is able to move as you say.”

“An appropriate response,” the doctor responds. Chanyeol doesn’t need to turn around to know the doctor is bowing his head at him. “If that is all, I will take my leave. Call this android if there are any problems.”

“I thank you,” Chanyeol repeats, hearing the doors open and close after. He looks over his shoulder to see he’s truly alone with his fighter before he takes the empty seat nearest the bed. It’s plush, comforting, and Chanyeol can’t help but stare at Yixing’s sleeping face. He sees images of Yixing’s confusion, his underlying fear, swirling around in his eyes. He sees Yixing beaten up, almost to death, and Chanyeol’s confused by the speeding of his heart at that mere thought. He sees Yixing, curled up in his bed with its thin mattress but thick sheets, and falls asleep.

 

Shuffling wakes Chanyeol up. His head has tilted down in his sleep, causing a crick in his neck, and he grunts as he pops it to relieve the tension in his joints. Everything is bleary around him and he blinks his eyes a few times to clear his vision. The shuffling continues and he looks up, to Yixing sitting on the edge of the bed and staring at him. He doesn’t speak and Chanyeol guesses he has to be the first one.

“How long?” Chanyeol asks, voice deep with sleep. “Strength.”

Yixing stares at him for a few seconds before answering. “Seventy-two percent.”

Chanyeol feels strange. “Stamina.”

“Fifty-eight percent.”

“Energy.”

“Fifty-seven percent.”

Chanyeol doesn’t understand it. He stares at Yixing, tries to really look into his eyes, before he comes up empty. He sighs, glancing around the room before looking down to his watch. “Our fight with Kyungsoo and his player has been rescheduled,” he informs quietly, looking up to see no reaction from Yixing. “We have a different opponent scheduled and the fight is in thirty minutes.” This time, he stands to look down at Yixing, watch the way Yixing returns to his default to stare straight ahead of him with no expression. “Are you ready?”

“Yes, sir.”

 

This fight isn’t as daunting. Their opponent’s player is average at best, save for her unnatural speed, but Chanyeol only has to mutter a few words before Yixing gains the upper hand.

Chanyeol watches from his seat as he drinks a glass of water. His player’s moves don’t appear restricted in the slightest, though he can tell Yixing is doing his best to defend his body more than normal. Yixing’s arms flinch up to protect his chest if there is any remote movement from their opponent to hit it and he dodges at the slightest lunge for him. Chanyeol wants to call his name, to ask if he’s in any pain, but then that’d be strange and suspicious to anyone who has access to Yixing’s transponder and Chanyeol’s earpiece. Nobody can be sure of their security nowadays.

All too soon, the fight is over. Yixing is emerging victorious but he’s breathing heavily. “Yixing, return,” Chanyeol murmurs, immediately getting out of his seat the moment Yixing starts to move again. He meets him where he did earlier that day, except now Yixing is able to support himself despite whatever else is going on within his body. He makes sure to remove his earpiece before saying anything else.

“Yixing.” The moment he calls his name, Yixing looks straight at him. There aren’t any emotions in his eyes, maybe the slight hint of pain whenever he moves, and Chanyeol frowns, stopping in his tracks as he lets Yixing walk to him. Yixing is limping. “I will cancel all fights scheduled for tomorrow and the day after so you can recover.” Now, his player looks confused. “Understood?”

“Yes, sir,” Yixing answers quietly, wincing, when he takes another step.

“Yixing,” Chanyeol sighs, reaching out instinctively for his arm. He grabs onto his hand with his free one and tries to help support him. “How much damage has your body taken?”

“Seventy-two percent overall,” Yixing murmurs quietly. He sounds tired and Chanyeol can’t blame him.

In fact, Chanyeol tries to keep quiet after that. He doesn’t exert Yixing more than he is capable but when Chanyeol starts to hear footsteps in the distance, he slowly lets Yixing go. He makes sure Yixing is able to ambulate on his own and stays close to him as he guides him back to his sector where his bed is. He assumes the physician is going to visit Yixing again later tonight to ensure he is healing properly but he isn’t sure if Yixing is going to have a proper meal tonight or tomorrow. He still needs to talk to an android about that.

Halfway to his room, Yixing stumbles. He trips over his own feet and Chanyeol rushes to catch him, wincing when Yixing does when he accidentally hits his ribs. “I’m sorry,” Chanyeol murmurs, trying to move his hands where it won’t hurt his player. He can feel Yixing twitch in his arms at his words and he doesn’t know what to do. He doesn’t want an android carrying Yixing back to his room. They’re not known for their cautious nature unless they’ve been programmed or adapted for it.

“Mr. Park?” someone calls, and Chanyeol looks over his shoulder to see a woman standing there with her player. She looks confused, rightfully so, but Chanyeol doesn’t offer her any explanation. He also doesn’t know her at all. “Is there a defect with your player? Should I alert an android?”

“No.” Chanyeol straightens, turning slightly to be able to see her. He grabs Yixing’s hand closest to him and turns it, silently telling Yixing to grab a hold onto his bent arm next to him. He doesn’t look over to see his player’s reaction but then Chanyeol can feel Yixing grab onto the sleeve of his suit jacket before grabbing onto his arm completely. “There is no need,” he says, shooting her a look he knows means to say ‘you have no right to speak to me.’

The woman’s eyes widen at his glare, before looking between him and the back of his player. “I apologize, Mr. Park,” she says before tilting her head down and turning away. Her player follows after her dutifully and Chanyeol takes a moment to survey the area around them, finding it quiet and empty at this hour.

“Yixing,” Chanyeol murmurs quietly, placing his hand on top of Yixing’s on his arm. His player doesn’t flinch but Chanyeol tries to catch his eyes, ducking his head down a bit to see him. “Yixing,” he says again, waiting, watching as Yixing finally looks up at him, exhausted and in pain. “Let’s get you to your room.”

Yixing nods once, silent, before Chanyeol guides him down the hall. He keeps his grip firm on Yixing’s hand, making sure it doesn’t slip from his arm, but despite steadying him the best he can, Yixing still lets loose pained grunts and soft gasps with every few steps they take. It’s unnerving to hear his player in such pain. He’s only known him for a little over a week, but he could tell Yixing doesn’t get injured easily.

“Steady,” he orders Yixing, after he stumbles again. Chanyeol slows their pace, keeping his eyes on Yixing’s feet, and he doesn’t realize they’re turning down hallways and doorways until they’re outside of Yixing’s room. Nobody bumps into them but Chanyeol is sure someone must’ve seen them with the distance they crossed.

Once Chanyeol opens the door and leads Yixing inside, he makes sure to guide him to his bed safely. The grunts and gasps decrease but when Yixing sits and moves to lie back slowly, he whimpers, gasping, as he lets his body fall with gravity onto his bed. He stills then, not moving an inch, and Chanyeol doesn’t know what to do other then search for an android to bring Yixing his food and water. He needs more pain medication but Chanyeol isn’t sure if Yixing is allowed to have any now.

“Yixing,” Chanyeol says, for lack of anything else to say. He feels awkward staring at his player trying to control his own pain. “I’m going to inform an android about my decisions.” He stares at Yixing a moment longer, watching as his player closes his eyes and seems to relax, but then he jolts when Yixing speaks, voice soft.

“Sir, I apologize, but I request help.”

Immediately, Chanyeol moves from his spot in the middle of the room. He walks closer, hunching over a bit for easier access for his player. “Yes, what is it you need?”

“I request to remove my shirt and be underneath the blanket.”

Chanyeol wants to laugh at how ridiculous he feels, as he stands to his full height and gently brings Yixing up into a sitting position. His player groans at the movement, winces and grunts when Chanyeol helps pull his shirt off of his torso and head, and gasps when Chanyeol tugs at the blanket underneath him until he can pull it over Yixing’s body instead. He thinks it’s ridiculous to be doing this for someone else, but it also makes him feel useful. It makes him want to watch over Yixing until his pain has subsided and he can sleep easy for the night. “Yixing, are you satisfied?” Even that is a strange question to ask anybody else, other than to him. It must sound strange to Yixing too, because now he’s staring up at him with wide eyes, confused.

“I am,” Yixing answers, slowly, carefully. “Sir, thank you.”

Unbidden, Chanyeol smiles. It’s soft, gentle, and Chanyeol leaves before he feels anything else weird in his chest. “I will inform the android about your inadequate meals and cancellations for fights tomorrow and the next day. I will also check in with the physician to ensure he is giving you the best treatment.” He bites the inside of his cheek when he reaches the door. He pauses, looking over his shoulder at his player who’s still staring at him, confused. “I expect you to have healed significantly in three days’ time.”

The nod he receives in return is barely noticeable, though the gratitude in his eyes shines, Yixing murmuring a quiet, “Thank you,” as he leaves the room.

 

Stepping into his office the next day, Chanyeol sighs. His morning has been rough, learning that Minseok had been malfunctioning for a good hour before he woke up, and he had to spend at least another hour trying to calm his frantic android enough to be able to reach his main circuit boards and rewire what needed to be rewired. Apparently, Minseok had over-indulged in his oil and fluid meals and his body couldn’t take it. Again.

Chanyeol groans as he runs his fingers through his hair, not even taking the time to gel it up and off of his forehead like he usually does before work. His android should’ve known better by now to stop doing half of the things he used to do when he was first introduced to the family. But, Chanyeol guesses that’s one of Minseok’s flaws. He doesn’t want to fix it anyways.

“Ray,” he calls, walking the wide length of his office to get to his desk. He watches as the top of it flashes to life, a soft whirring sounding in the air before it settles back into silence and a pale blue screen appears. _PARK INDUSTRIES_ is written in the center of the screen and Chanyeol taps the edge of his desk twice before calling again. “Ray.”

“Yes, sir,” an automated voice says. The _PARK INDUSTRIES_ logo fades until Chanyeol’s main calendar is pulled up. “Welcome back, Mr. Park.”

Glancing at his calendar, Chanyeol can’t help but sigh again. Minseok is due for an inspection anyways, within the next week. “Remind me to move up Minseok’s inspection to this Thursday.” He might as well have it done while he’s at EVOLVE and then he can pick him up after.

“Yes, sir.”

“Details on the events occurring today,” Chanyeol requests, moving around his office as he makes himself iced coffee and grabs his tablet off of the side table. He claps his hands twice, prompting his tinted office windows to clear so he can see over the city, and it looks nice from his view. From up here, he can see the tops of buildings and preserved greenery and parks. He can see the manmade lake his mother insisted be installed near the middle of the city and citizens and androids walking down the streets. It’s a beautiful sight.

“At nine o’clock, you have a meeting with your board about your recent endeavors with EVOLVE. You are to speak about your experiences and your plans about establishing a contract with them. The goal is to expand your property.”

Chanyeol hums as he takes his first sip of coffee. “Yes,” he agrees, looking away from the city and to his desk. “Next.”

“At twelve o’clock, you are scheduled for your mandatory lunch break. It will last one hour and thirty minutes. You have scheduled a phone call with the physician Dr. Johnson at EVOLVE to request an update about your player Yixing Zhang. After the phone call with Dr. Johnson, you plan to call the receptionist android to schedule your next fights. Reminder: you have a fight scheduled with Kyungsoo Do and Baekhyun Byun at twenty o’clock on Friday.”

“Yes,” Chanyeol agrees, moving closer to see the separate events on his calendar be highlighted one by one.

“At thirteen-thirty o’clock, you are scheduled to return to work. You have files to go over about previous endeavors with business owners. The amount of workload you have will last about four hours, approximately.”

Chanyeol grunts at that. Even if he can read and skim files within minutes, catching errors that even technology misses, he’s always hated reading documents.

“At seventeen o’clock, your office hours are closed. You have no schedules with Park Industries for the rest of the day. Congratulations, sir.”

Chanyeol rolls his eyes, knocking the top of his foot onto the base of his desk. “Shut it, Ray.”

“My apologies.”

Staring at his desk again, Chanyeol reaches out to swipe his calendar away. His messages come up next, separated emails by level of importance, and he swipes that away too before a video stream of his entire building pops up. He switches between all the cameras, making sure none of his employees are slacking off more than usual, and then he sighs before taking another sip of his coffee. “Time,” he requests, reaching over to swipe the views away and tap on the icon for his meeting notes.

“Eight-thirty in the morning, sir.”

“Enough time,” Chanyeol comments before sitting in his leather chair and going over his notes. He skims over everything. He memorizes the statistics and the probability of beneficial advancement of their company if they establish this contract. He thinks about the increase in revenue Park Industries would be receiving if they establish this contract. He wonders about his relation with his player and how that would affect anything, if at all, with this contract. He looks to the time on the corner of his desk. Eight-forty.

“Ray,” he calls, without thinking. “Contact Dr. Johnson at EVOLVE.”

There’s a moment of pause, where Chanyeol scrolls through the rest of his notes, before he hears his secretary say, “Sir, it’s not according to schedule.”

“What isn’t according to schedule?” Chanyeol asks, looking over from his notes to the corner of his desk where the animated image of a sound visualizer is located. Time is ticking and he doesn’t have much to memorize whatever little notes he has left.

The flat line peaks at intervals when Ray speaks, going along with its words. “Contacting Dr. Johnson at EVOLVE,” Ray repeats, before the line flattens into silence for a second. “It’s not according to schedule.”

“It isn’t,” Chanyeol agrees, slowly, wondering why he said that. He looks back to his notes, sees the word EVOLVE again, and thinks about Yixing and his recovery. He had instructed the receptionist android to ensure Yixing gets the appropriate amount of food needed to sustain his health and energy. He reiterated Yixing’s importance in upcoming fights to the physician in charge of him. “Ray,” he calls, before swiping his notes away and standing.

“Yes, sir.”

“I have to attend my meeting now, correct?” Chanyeol can’t stop his lips from quirking to the side every few seconds. He keeps staring at his desk, at the sound visualizer that’s stopped moving, and he’s never been so uncertain in his actions before. He doesn’t know how to react to something he said so casually, so out of his consciousness, but maybe he’s actually worried. “Ray,” he says, before his secretary can answer his rhetorical question. “I’m afraid I may be worried about something.”

“You have fifteen minutes until your meeting starts,” Ray reminds. “Please, go on.”

Chanyeol snorts at that, but he continues nonetheless. “My player became severely injured during one of his fights yesterday. I assume I am safe to say he had the possibility of dying.” The gnawing in his chest grows at the reminder, images of Yixing choking to death flashes across his mind. He can’t help but tap the tip of his finger against the armrest of his chair, anxious. “I had him evaluated by the physician, but he had one more fight to complete. He won, of course, but he wasn’t fairing well last night when I left. Apparently, he didn’t get the proper amount of food he normally eats there in addition to this difficult fight and I’m not sure if the physician and androids are doing as I requested.”

“You are Chanyeol Park of Park Industries, sir,” Ray immediately says. “These human and android must fulfill your wishes to appease you. You have also been in contact with the CEO of EVOLVE.”

“Yes, but I haven’t proposed the idea of the contract with her yet,” Chanyeol reminds, watching as the sound visualizer peaks and then flattens. “I have only shown my interest due to Kyungsoo’s persistence and this fighting trend.”

“As well as that may be, sir, you still seem to worry about this humanoid player.”

Chanyeol sighs, reaching up to run fingers through his hair again. “My player _is_ human, Ray.”

“My apologies,” it says. “My knowledge is as great as you made me,” it insists, “and, based on your words, sir, you seem to care much more about this player than you believe.” He pauses. “Sir, you have five minutes left until your meeting starts.”

The corner of Chanyeol’s lips quirks again at the reminder, gaze darting to the other side of his desk where his analog clock is displayed. Yixing is a human. For all Chanyeol has learned about their life history, humans can be resilient but are actually weak creatures. They weren’t made to be as strong as androids that can withstand tons of weight. But here they are, fighting for their entertainment and Chanyeol remembers. “Ray,” he murmurs, looking back to the sound visualizer when Ray answers back, “Yes, sir.”

“Ray, I want you to look up information about EVOLVE. It’s true origins and how it came to be.” Chanyeol moves from his desk, preparing to leave his office with his coffee in hand, but he still speaks, still thinks about Yixing and the fear in his eyes before he left him in that medical bed for two hours. “Keep it confidential, only recognize and open to my voice: Chanyeol Park, birth year one-nine-nine-two. Code number one-one-two-seven. Lock.”

“Yes, sir,” Ray answers.

“Also,” Chanyeol adds on, pausing in front of his office door with his hand on the handle. “Contact Dr. Johnson at EVOLVE. Request an update of Yixing’s medical condition, specifically for me.”

“Yes, sir. I will contact Dr. Johnson at EVOLVE right away. Enjoy your meeting.”

Despite of himself, Chanyeol chuckles at his secretary. He even shakes his head at him in disbelief, “You’re something special, Ray,” before he opens the door and leaves for the boardroom. He can’t hear Ray’s response, but he knows it must’ve said something. It _always_ has something to say, just like Minseok.

When Chanyeol reaches the boardroom down the hall, he feels his watch vibrate. He pauses outside the door, frowning, before he lifts up his wrist to read what the message says.

 _Dr. Johnson states, “Yixing is healing well. We are giving him the appropriate amount of food needed_.

Chanyeol reads the message once more before he hums, just to make some type of response. He shakes his wrist to get rid of the message before he opens the door and steps inside. There are three members already in their seats and two that are empty. Within seconds of him reaching the end of the table where his chair is, the holographic images of the remaining two people appear in their designated seats.

“Welcome, you two,” Chanyeol says drily, not even bothering to send them a glance as he starts up the holographic projector in the room. Ray should have transferred the appropriate files to this room for use with his speech, and Chanyeol taps his fingertip once against the top of the desk in approval when he finds it easily. “Today, I will be going over our future endeavors in expanding this company.”

It’s not a foreign topic. Chanyeol is sure he’s said this fifty times before, at least, and he only glances up when he doesn’t hear a response. It’s to make sure they’re all awake and functioning like normal human beings before he’s turning to face the holographic images.

“As you have heard, I have signed up to become a participant with EVOLVE,” he starts, mind flashing to Kyungsoo and Baekhyun before settling on Yixing. “I have bought out my own player to engage in the full experience. After participating in twelve fights, thus far, and learning firsthand at what goes on within EVOLVE and the business aspect of it, I have decided that creating a contract with them will be beneficial into expanding our company.” He pauses to look over his shoulder, to ensure he still has everyone’s attention. “I have only been in contact with the CEO five times, but it is enough to warrant a steady relationship. She is, and I quote, ‘excited and proud’ that I have joined as a participant within EVOLVE. I bring more attention to COR and her company than they have been achieving within the past two years alone. I infer that I will become a major asset to their team within no time.”

His board members nod, one of them reaching out a hand on the table to bring his attention to her. “I also heard you achieved quite the player,” she says, obviously interested. “I have seen his fights previously with his past owners.”

Chanyeol nods. “Yes, I was given a choice of five players, as it outlines on the website. My player was the one with ideal attributes.”

“Yes,” she responds back, before settling in her chair again. “You are quite lucky, sir. You always have been.”

Gratefully, Chanyeol nods in her direction once more before returning to the hologram behind him. “I have calculated the expenses and additional revenue Park Industries will be receiving if this contract goes through as planned.” He continues on, going through the numbers and percentages. He explains what needs to be explained and answers questions his board members may have. He feels his watch vibrate once more and he takes a moment to read the message, a simple: _Kyungsoo is personally examining Yixing now_.

It throws Chanyeol off, pausing in his speech to read the message once more, before he shakes his wrist to get rid of it and stare at the presentation again. He tries to keep focus, talking about other benefits after the contract with EVOLVE is successful, but he’s confused and worried. Why would Kyungsoo personally examine a player that isn’t his?

“Excuse me,” Chanyeol suddenly interrupts, staring at his board members before choosing the one he trusts most. “Hakyeon, take over for me. I have included notes about each detail in this presentation. Present what you know about this subject and then some. After, close the meeting.”

“What?” Hakyeon asks, immediately standing from his seat surprised. He frowns next, staring at the presentation. “But Chanyeol–”

Chanyeol pins him with a stern look before he makes his way out of the room. “Do as I say” is the last he says to them before he leaves.

Making it to his office in record time, he opens the door and closes it quickly. “Ray,” he calls out. “Explain your recent message to me.”

“You’re back from your meeting early, sir,” Ray says before he continues. “During my call with Dr. Johnson at EVOLVE, the physician had a strange pitch to his voice when he spoke. I relayed his message to you verbatim, but I took the initiative to contact Kyungsoo Do. You consider him a close friend and, as a technologically advanced companion of yours, I became what humans would call ‘concerned.’ This Dr. Johnson is the definition of skepticism in my database.”

“And what is Kyungsoo’s response?” Chanyeol asks, frown on his face. He walks over to his desk, ready to put it to sleep until he wakes it up again, but he watches as Ray immediately pulls up the live video feed from the boardroom. True to his impression and trust in Hakyeon, he’s doing what he’s asked of him.

“Kyungsoo has informed me he will personally look into it.”

Without thinking, Chanyeol nods before running his fingers through his hair again. “Ray, thank you. I’ll put you to sleep now. This is a reminder to only unlock personal files with my signature.” He leans over, his face hovering close to the sound visualizer and watches as the flat line transforms into a scanner. “Only accessible through retinal scan. Chanyeol Park.”

“Yes, sir.”

Chanyeol keeps both of his eyes open as Ray scans them. The green light blinds him for a moment before he blinks a few times to rid himself of the bright light. “Ray,” he calls, when his vision has mostly returned, staring down at his desk. “Goodnight.” He hears the response of “goodnight, sir” before he taps his knuckles against the corner of his desk again, watching as the screen powers back down to black. He claps his hands twice afterwards, causing the windows behind him to tint to the same color as his desk before he leaves his office and locks his door. All his documents can wait.

 

“Welcome back, Mr. Park.”

The receptionist android is different today. Instead of the typical pale blue outfit it wears every time Chanyeol has seen it, it’s wearing a pale purple. Its eyes are also shaped to be kinder than the other one and Chanyeol can’t help but give this one a polite nod before he breezes through the lobby and to the sector where Yixing’s room is located.

He passes by owners and fighters he typically doesn’t see in the afternoons and evenings. He passes by androids that spare him a fleeting glance and other employees of EVOLVE who take the time to personally greet him. But then he turns the corner leading into the hallway where Yixing’s room resides, and he sees Baekhyun standing outside where Yixing’s room should be. He’s standing guard, like he usually does whenever Kyungsoo is near, and Chanyeol still doesn’t understand why his friend would need anything remotely close to a bodyguard.

When Chanyeol approaches, Baekhyun spares him a glance before tilting his head down in greeting. It’s not unusual for a fighter to do, but it is unusual for Chanyeol to want to do the same in return. “Kyungsoo,” he calls, striding past Baekhyun and into his player’s room. Immediately, he sees Kyungsoo with his hands on Yixing’s torso. The blues and blacks have faded from his player’s body to leave yellows and greens in its wake, but his fighter doesn’t look good.

“I should’ve expected you to come up here,” Kyungsoo murmurs quietly, one of his hands gliding down from Yixing’s chest to his stomach. Yixing’s eyes are closed and he doesn’t even shiver with the movement. “I am replacing the physician keeping watch over him.”

“What happened?” Chanyeol demands, frowning and stepping closer so he can kneel on one knee next to Yixing in the bed. “Yixing, wake up.”

There’s a soft groan, one that sounds pained, and Chanyeol can’t help but reach out to brush Yixing’s fringe out of his eyes. His heart speeds when Yixing’s eyes flutter open, obviously dazed, until his gaze settles in on him and it clears.

“Yixing,” Chanyeol says again, quietly this time. He watches his fighter’s mouth open and close a few times, only for him to groan again in pain. “Kyungsoo.” His chest aches, gaze scanning Yixing’s entire body up close for anything out of the ordinary. “What happened?”

“Ray contacted me, as you were informed,” Kyungsoo murmurs, before he’s removing his hands and taking a step back. It only makes Chanyeol move in closer, to put his own hand where Kyungsoo’s was in the middle of Yixing’s chest and abdomen. Almost instantly, Yixing sighs, seemingly relieved. “I searched in Dr. Johnson’s records and office. There was nothing vile going on, such as poisonings or illegal activities, but he hasn’t been treating our fighters as he should’ve been. Yixing hasn’t been receiving the proper amounts of meals lately despite the android bringing it straight from the kitchen and that doctor might’ve pushed some other drugs into his system while treating him yesterday. The reasons for all of this is still unknown, but the panel is investigating it right now.”

Chanyeol can feel Yixing’s muscles quake under his palm, as he spreads his fingers to try and cover as much space as possible. “I assume he’s been terminated from the facility,” he says quietly, keeping his eyes on Yixing’s face for any other discomfort.

“Of course.”

“What of Yixing’s condition?” he asks next, watching as Yixing’s eyes focus in and out every few minutes. His heart stutters when he reaches out, gently touching the side of Yixing’s head where his transponder should be located, underneath the surface. “Yixing, close your eyes. Rest.”

“Yixing only needs a few days rest to let all the drugs in his system pass. It will also allow his ribs to heal better. He should be okay.” Kyungsoo sighs as he steps closer again, enough to lay his hand gently on Chanyeol’s shoulder. “I had them run blood tests to test specific chemicals and enzymes, everything. The initial results show his blood counts and factors are within range. It’ll take a couple of hours for the rest of it to return.” His finger lifts and taps his shoulder once, and Chanyeol looks away from his fighter to stare up at his friend. “The panel has completely approved you,” Kyungsoo says, small smile on his face. “You’re a valuable asset to this company. After this incident, they prefer to have your fighter with you at all times for his and your safety.”

Chanyeol gapes for a second before he closes his mouth, suddenly confused. “Have they even done a proper background check on me?”

Kyungsoo shrugs. “You’re Chanyeol Park of Park Industries. I’m pretty sure you could buy out this company and terminate those who said your background isn’t cleared.”

“I could,” Chanyeol murmurs, thoughtfully, before he’s looking to Yixing again. If he brought him home now, Minseok would be able to take care of him until he was done looking over his documents at home, considering Minseok isn’t malfunctioning like he was earlier today. Then again, if Minseok lay off all of his food, he should be good. “But that’s a hefty investment I’m not willing to make at this time.” He hears his friend snort, muttering a soft “of course,” before he takes a step back again. “Am I allowed to take him out of the facility today?”

“Yeah,” Kyungsoo answers shortly. “You need to fill out more forms to finalize everything, but I can handle that, too, after you sign. Do you have transport to your house?”

“No,” Chanyeol sighs, closing his eyes and wondering what’s even going on anymore. “I never needed to have transport other than my own two legs. My house isn’t far from this district, after all.”

Suddenly, Chanyeol feels something hit the back of his shoulder. He looks over curiously, down to the ground where he heard a faint _clink_ , and stares at a small keyring with the initials DKS on it. “Take my vehicle,” Kyungsoo murmurs, “You should know how to operate it. Bring it back before the day ends.”

Chanyeol picks it up, easily recognizing the brand on the other side of the leather. It’s a hexagon design. “I recommended this brand to you,” he says in surprise, looking up at his friend. His other hand slips from Yixing’s body and he can hear his fighter whimper in response. “Yixing,” Chanyeol calls, moving his hand back to his stomach. His fighter calms immediately, without opening his eyes.

“Yeah, are you surprise I took your recommendation?” Kyungsoo asks, hint of amusement in his voice. “I listen to what you have to say, Chanyeol. You just haven’t been paying attention.” He laughs then, softly, and Chanyeol has to turn to see why. There’s an exasperated expression in Kyungsoo’s eyes, like he’s strangely fond of him, and Chanyeol misses their friendship. “This is the most I’ve seen you care in a while, Chanyeol.” He nods his head then, before calling his fighter into the room. “That’s how Baekhyun and I win so many fights,” he murmurs, almost as if it’s a secret. “In no time, you’ll be one of the participants everyone will want to bet on.”

“Kyungsoo,” Chanyeol calls, right when his friend turns to leave.

“Bring back my vehicle before the day is over. I’m not walking home like you. Come to my office as soon as you can. Baekhyun, come.”

With that, Kyungsoo and his fighter leave the room. The door stays open behind them, leaving him alone in the room with Yixing, and Chanyeol takes the moment to process his thoughts. The key in his hand is light, but it holds significance for their friendship. It almost feels heavy in his heart, in a good way, because Kyungsoo is still his friend after all these years. Chanyeol smiles, small and warm, before he looks back to Yixing. “Yixing,” he calls quietly, watching as his fighter’s eyes open, blinks a few times before looking at him. “I will be a moment to finalize the documents,” he explains, eyeing Yixing’s expression. There’s a lack of it, but Chanyeol thinks he can see something else trying to break through. “Then I will bring you to my house for proper treatment and to ensure you heal effectively before our match with Kyungsoo and Baekhyun.”

Yixing blinks again, not moving anything else, before he nods and closes his eyes again. He pulls his blanket over him, over Chanyeol’s hand on his abdomen, and moves until he’s curled up on his side and Chanyeol has to move his hand to cup his waist instead. “Yes, sir,” Yixing mumbles quietly, hiding the lower half of his face underneath the sheet. The action is innocent, so different from when Yixing is conditioned to fight, and Chanyeol can’t help the widening of his smile at it.

“I will be back,” Chanyeol says once more, squeezing Yixing’s waist gently, before he’s getting up. He leaves the room after taking one last glance at his fighter, and Yixing doesn’t take his eyes off of him until he’s gone from sight, the door automatically closing behind him.

 

“Remember, bring back my car before the day is over,” Kyungsoo reminds, as Chanyeol signs the last document on his desk.

Chanyeol rolls his eyes, swiping the document over to his friend. “I’m not going to steal it.”

“You can never be too sure nowadays,” Kyungsoo reasons.

“Who steals cars nowadays?” Chanyeol argues back, genuinely curious with an eyebrow raised. He hasn’t heard of anyone stealing anything in years now.

Kyungsoo shrugs. Chanyeol sighs.

“Also, our fight is the last one on Friday. Make sure Yixing is in his peak condition by then, Park.”

Without thinking, Chanyeol scoffs, smirking at his friend. “Are we going back to that now? We’ll see who’s the winner then, Do.”

In response, Kyungsoo laughs, incredulous, but he looks delighted nonetheless. “You are free to walk out with Yixing,” he says, after he signs the last document. “For anything that may happen to trigger Yixing negatively, his transponder will relay some type of signal to the panel here at EVOLVE. We will immediately get in contact with you to clarify if it was a mistake or there is truly something wrong. If we do not get a response within ten minutes, someone from the panel will visit your house to personally inspect the situation.”

“Understood.” Chanyeol watches as Kyungsoo flicks his gaze to the side, where his fighter is standing. “I will take my leave now.”

“I look forward to our fight, Park,” his friend says, leveling his gaze with his own. “Don’t disappoint me.”

Chanyeol laughs, shaking his head at him incredulously. He turns to leave the room, throwing his hand up in the air in farewell. “You’re too much, Do. You know that?” He hears Kyungsoo’s responding laughter, and maybe a hint of a faint chuckle as well when the door closes behind him.

 

When Chanyeol arrives home, there’s no scent of garlic and onions sizzling on a pan. There are no sounds of the vacuum cleaning the floors or the television turned on. It’s puzzling, to say the least. He’s never usually home around this time but he’s always assumed Minseok would be doing something or another around the house while he’s at work.

“Minseok?” he calls, guiding Yixing inside his house and watching as he stares around at everything with wide eyes. He makes sure to close the door behind them securely, makes sure Yixing doesn’t suddenly stumble and faint, and listens for Minseok’s signature hum. “Minseok,” he calls louder.

“Chanyeol?” he finally hears. Minseok’s voice is faint, coming from another room somewhere deeper within his house, but his footsteps are steadily growing louder with each second that passes. “Chanyeol, what are you doing home so early? I have not had any other malfunctions since this morning. Oh.”

Chanyeol grimaces, for lack of a better reaction, when he sees Minseok’s gaze land on Yixing. Automatically, Minseok’s eyes glow that faint green as he processes the new face and body in person. He’s seen him before through the screen and digitally, but it’s something else entirely when Minseok’s able to walk up to Yixing and stare up at him up close.

“You are Yixing Zhang, personal fighter of Chanyeol Park,” Minseok mechanically states, before his gaze roams down Yixing’s body. “You have suffered severe injuries within the past day. It also appears you have alarming imbalances within your body, concerning specific drug levels in your system.” Chanyeol frowns at that, turning to stare at Yixing too, because he has no idea what Minseok is talking about. He didn’t even know his android was capable of detecting levels like that without a blood sample present. “You have been approved to leave the facility as long as Chanyeol is by your side.”

“That is correct,” Yixing answers quietly, staring back at Minseok as if he was an android too.

This feels strange, completely weird in fact, and Chanyeol feels the need to step forward between them, to cut off Minseok’s analysis of Yixing. “Minseok,” he addresses again, hearing his android hum distractedly in return. “I still have documents to look over since I left the office early. Do you mind making lunch? I haven’t eaten yet and I doubt Yixing has either.”

“Of course, sir,” Minseok mumbles, trying to lean around Chanyeol’s broader frame to stare at Yixing. “Does Yixing have any preferences for food?”

“Uh,” Chanyeol mutters, looking down at Yixing too. “Now, that’s a good question.” Because he surely doesn’t know. “What do you normally eat at EVOLVE?”

Yixing blinks up at him, expression vacant. “Normally foods and fluids that are beneficial for my health. They do not contain many spices or sugars. Protein is moderate.”

Instinctively, Chanyeol looks over to Minseok, seeing his eyes glowing a faint green again. “I don’t know what meals that entails, but do you have something you can cook up?” He watches as Minseok nods slowly, still trying to process different recipes in his database. It gives Chanyeol time to stare at Yixing, the way he still tries to look around the entrance of his house, and it makes him wonder if Yixing will speak as freely as he did before his time in the medical room. It was different, concerning, and intriguing all at once and Chanyeol wants to witness it again.

“I have several recipes that match Yixing’s descriptions,” Minseok informs, minutes later. When he blinks, his eyes return to its normal color before he shrugs and heads for the kitchen next. “I will cook each one to figure out Yixing’s preference in taste. I’m sorry to say that you will be tasting these too, Chanyeol.”

Chanyeol shakes his head at his android before returning his full attention to Yixing next to him. He turns, lifting a hand to place at the small of Yixing’s back, before guiding him further into the house. “I will show you one of the guest rooms,” he explains, pointing to each room and labeling what each one is. “Your room also has a bathroom attached. You will have a selection of clothes either in Minseok’s sizes or mine. You are free to try them on to find which you prefer. You are also free to do as you please within my house as long as I am present or Minseok is present.” Chanyeol pauses then, looking down to Yixing and realizing he doesn’t really need him guiding him personally, before he drops his hand and simply walks by his fighter’s side. “If you need to train after you have recovered some more, I will have Minseok go out and buy the necessary equipment to add to your room. I only request you minimize breaking things, or even not at all, and that you speak as freely as you feel comfortable.” That makes Yixing pause beside him, making Chanyeol stop too, and his fighter looks positively perplexed.

“I,” Yixing starts off, hesitant, more emotion flooding his entire face than Chanyeol has ever seen. “I am… allowed to speak, sir?”

For some reason, Chanyeol feels his chest ache, a dull, throbbing pain. He feels sorry for Yixing, for the fighters in that facility, because they should be allowed to speak for something other than what pertains to fights. He only assumed they were able to speak amongst themselves away from the elite, but if Yixing had to ask this… “Yes,” Chanyeol answers, quietly, distantly hearing the sizzle of the onions and garlic, the vegetables and clanking of pans in the kitchen. He watches as something– _internal_ –fights against Yixing’s emotions. Yixing’s face twitches, mouth curling into a scowl, before it disappears completely. “Yixing, you are allowed to speak freely,” he reiterates, making it a command he can’t refuse.

There’s a pause, a moment of silence where Yixing simply stares at him, before he looks away towards the ground next to their feet. His head tilts down with the movement and Chanyeol barely hears his response of “thank you, sir” before he flinches.

Chanyeol reaches out immediately before he stops himself from touching Yixing. His chest flares with panic, watching as Yixing’s entire body tremors, and he murmurs a quiet, “Yixing, where are you hurting?” Slowly, Yixing reaches up with his hand, gently wrapping it around his abdomen, before he flinches again.

“It is a muscle spasm,” Yixing breathes out, almost doubling over from the pain.

Without thinking, Chanyeol murmurs a quiet, “I’m going to touch you,” before he reaches out and scoops Yixing into his arms. It’s surprising how easily Yixing fits against him, curls against his chest as tremors of pain wrack through him, and it concerns Chanyeol how light he is in his arms. He almost weighs as much as the chairs in the kitchen and those are some of the lightest furniture to move within the house.

In no time, Chanyeol is placing Yixing gently down in his guest bed. The spasms have passed and he watches as Yixing breathes out slowly, eyes closing, as he allows his body to relax against the soft mattress. It looks like he sinks into it despite his weight. In fact, he looks peaceful there, calm against soft, rose-colored sheets, and Chanyeol wonders how long it’s been since Yixing has been in a bed other than the ones in EVOLVE.

“Minseok should be finished cooking lunch within the hour,” Chanyeol informs, watching as Yixing opens his eyes to see him. Chanyeol tries to give him a smile, a gentle upturn of the lips. “Rest here. Use the bathroom and change, if you’d like. I don’t know how other owners operate with their fighters, but you will have privacy in this room, about ninety-five percent. Minseok will call us when lunch is ready.”

“Yes, sir.”

The automatic response makes Chanyeol hum, eyeing Yixing once more, before he turns to leave the room. “My office is down the hall to the right, second to last door on the left. If you need me, you only need to come to me.” He doesn’t wait for a response, instead smelling the faint aroma of food when he steps foot into the hallway and getting distracted by it as he turns for his office. Minseok is a genius.

 

Chanyeol is in the middle of reading through a document with more numbers than words when he hears a knock. His door is open, allowing Minseok to simply waltz his way in there, but when he looks up, his android is simply standing there instead.

“You look like you’re about to throw something,” Minseok comments, not taking a step in until Chanyeol tilts his head to the side.

“I pretty much have to decode this five-page document,” Chanyeol answers easily, eyeing Minseok as he comes closer to him. He looks hesitant and he doesn’t know why. “What’s wrong?”

Minseok’s hands instantly come together in front of him. He fidgets, so unlike an android, and Chanyeol straightens in his chair to give him his full attention. “I don’t think Yixing should get up,” he quietly says, walking until he’s standing right next to Chanyeol. “I know I’m not a medically-trained android, but his injuries are truly severe. He needs to heal naturally, not with those synthetic drugs that doctor injected in him.” Chanyeol frowns, not understanding. “Let me explain further,” Minseok requests, closing his eyes for a moment.

“Of course,” Chanyeol answers, feeling his heart speed in his chest.

When Minseok opens his eyes, they’re glowing a faint yellow, replaying live feeds from his memory bank. “I have never seen an EVOLVE fighter in person,” he says and if Chanyeol didn’t know any better, he could feel a mixture of emotions surging in waves off of his android. “Looking and examining through a screen barrier, these fighters appeared to be in good condition. It helps that they were trained to physically brawl in difficult situations, of course, but seeing Yixing in person and analyzing him up close, it is clear to me that his body has suffered temporary and permanent damage in all forms. His gait is not steady and equal. His bones in his arms and legs seem to have misshapen by about two percent from all the fighting he has done, as well as a result of breaking bones in the first place. The muscles in his body are also disproportionate to what should be considered normal as a human at this age.”

There’s too much information yet not enough. Chanyeol doesn’t know what to do with any of it but sit there quietly and try to absorb it as best as he can.

“I do not know how they train, but the humans I have seen up close typically don’t receive these injuries from simple human contact such as bumping into each other outside or through a handshake. There is something I would classify as worrisome with Yixing and this is why I believe he should not leave his bed unless it is to spend time in the bathroom. If he moves any more than necessary, his body will not be able to recover as quickly and efficiently otherwise.”

“But I have a fight scheduled on Friday with Kyungsoo,” Chanyeol murmurs, still at a loss. Yixing has been with EVOLVE for years now. It shouldn’t come as a surprise how severe his injuries have been, but it does. Yixing appears as he had the first time he had seen him. The way Minseok stares at him, though, makes him rethink his memories, his thoughts.

“Yixing is a human,” Minseok reiterates, eyes still glowing that faint yellow color. “Humans have been known to be fragile creatures physically. It is the reason why androids were made. We were made to protect the elite from harm and to facilitate the construction of new roadways, buildings, and other heavy objects. It should be no different with Yixing. He contains the same general genetic makeup you do.”

Chanyeol can’t look away, entranced to see fleeting images passing through Minseok’s eyes in front of him. He doesn’t have any words to say, not knowing how to construct a proper sentence anyways, and he’s thankful when Minseok has to spell it out for him.

“You have a choice, sir. You can continue with your scheduled fight or you can allow more time for Yixing to rest. My suggestion remains the same: Yixing should not do more than is necessary at this time.” Minseok’s gaze softens then, the soft glow fading from his eyes. “Chanyeol, there’s something weird with him,” he confesses. “I don’t know what it is, but he doesn’t act like a typical human. Humans are born to express emotions, unlike androids where we are programmed or have to learn and adapt to them.”

Minseok has a point–he always does–and Chanyeol doesn’t know what to do with it. He thinks back to yesterday, where Yixing showed him fear and confusion more than he usually does, and wonders what happened, what went wrong. “Yixing will still fight on Friday,” he quietly says, speaking but having trouble listening to even himself. He feels like he’s in a daze, remembering Yixing’s pain. “There should be no other concern for it.” He doesn’t see it, can’t snap out of the daze he’s found himself in, until he feels cold arms wrap around his shoulders, his face being pushed into soft synthetic skin covering hard metal.

“Chanyeol,” Minseok calls, “I have been your partial caretaker for many years now, since you were a child. I know when you are lying to me and yourself.” Minseok is hugging him, and that’s _unusual_. “You care more than you let on.”

Suddenly, Chanyeol is hyperaware of everything around him. He can hear the soft thrum of Minseok’s life force within his artificial body. He can smell the faint scent of onion and oils on the android hugging him. _There’s an android hugging him_. This is foreign and unusual and he was taught that androids have no emotions. Fighters are simply humans who wish to fight. Chanyeol has all the money and resources in the world. He shouldn’t feel the need to care for anyone but his own personal gain.

Chanyeol is Chanyeol Park and he’s been taught to live up to his name, to assert his status where it’s needed and treat anyone below him like dirt.

Chanyeol freezes, his body catching up to his mind, before he pushes Minseok away. He pushes hard enough for Minseok to stumble backwards and when he looks up, Minseok is looking at him surprised. He doesn’t know who is lowest in rank between him and Yixing. “Bring my fighter his food,” he orders, thinking back to Yixing’s injuries. “He needs to regain his strength as quickly and efficiently as possible before his fight on Friday.” The expression on Minseok’s face changes to a fleeting moment of anger before it falls away to nothing. His face is as blank as Yixing’s the longer Chanyeol stares at him.

“Yes, sir” comes Minseok’s response before he leaves the room, mechanically, as if he wasn’t showing human emotion and concern minutes ago.

There’s a moment where Chanyeol panics, thinks over what he just did, but this is how he’s supposed to act. He’s supposed to be ordering others around and expect them to listen and do things for him without a second thought. His parents instilled this belief in him since he was a child. _People will respect you with the amount of money and prestige bestowed upon you_. If Minseok wasn’t around, Chanyeol lived up to their expectations. Top-of-the-line Minseok was Chanyeol’s saving grace in humanity and only his sister could see how important this artificial being was for him. Chanyeol taps his desk, unthinking, out of habit. “Ray.”

“Yes, sir” comes his assistant’s voice.

But Chanyeol doesn’t know what to say.

 

Chanyeol doesn’t ever stray from his set schedule of work, lunch, more work, and dinner. He accommodates his other necessary activities to stay on schedule with an allotted thirty minutes for unexpected circumstances, but he can’t concentrate on his work if his stomach growls every few minutes. It makes it hard for him to think of anything else other than food and he looks up from his desk to his opened doorway, contemplating on how he should go about it. He still has more than half of his files to go through.

“Ray,” he quietly calls, trying to think of the lesser of two evils. “Contact Minseok.”

“Yes, sir.”

It’s only a matter of minutes before Minseok shows up at his doorway, holding a tray of food and looking positively angry. It startles Chanyeol, barely ever seeing this expression on his android’s face before, but then he remembers. “Android,” Chanyeol starts, watching as red flashes in Minseok’s eyes. Before Chanyeol can even say anything else, Minseok is walking in calmly, lips stretching thin into a strained smile.

“Chanyeol Park,” Minseok addresses, all but dropping Chanyeol’s lunch on top of his desk, the glass of water tipping over and spilling over everything. “You do _not_ need to become another asshole in this society. There are too many of them and I swear to my creator if you become an asshole, I am shipping myself back to the factory to be disassembled and remade into a top-of-the-line coffee maker for the elite.” His words stun Chanyeol into silence, not even caring that water is getting everywhere, and he can’t help but stare back at his android who looks ready to punch him within a minute if he says one word wrong.

“Oh, snap,” Ray suddenly says, along with a camera shutter sound, before he adds, “ah, wrong sound effect.”

It makes Chanyeol laugh at the ridiculousness of it all. He’s shocked into feeling out of his element and he doesn’t understand why his heart is racing so fast. He slaps his hand down on his desk, accidentally knocking his pinky onto the edge of the metal, and he curses before he looks up and is immediately punched in the face.

“Ouch, sir,” Ray comments, but Chanyeol doesn’t even think to be mad about it. The punch sobers him up quickly and he looks wide-eyed to Minseok, enough to see the red and anger fading from his eyes.

“I have stayed loyal to you all these years because I recognized something in you that humans had long ago,” Minseok quietly says, trying hard not to hiss through his teeth. “With all my research on humans when I first came into existence, I was able to bypass locks that had kept millions of files hidden away for decades. I was designed to be the best. They didn’t think I was capable of it, but it didn’t matter when I discovered they couldn’t control how my entire system processes information. I adapted to each situation and stored it in my database as if it was unlimited.” This time, Minseok takes in a deep breath, so human, so unlike an android. “You still retain your humanity in a time where it doesn’t matter if it exists or doesn’t. You _care_ despite the fact you don’t _need_ to anymore.” At this, Minseok points out towards the door and Chanyeol follows the gesture. “There is something wrong with Yixing,” he insists, eyes glowing a variety of colors before settling on a faint yellow again. “There is no background on him within the upper or elite class database. His lack of emotions is different than all the assholes I have seen on the streets. I know you’ve seen something else with him. What is it?”

Chanyeol doesn’t have to answer to an android. He’s _better_ than an android, better than all of the rest of society in this city, but he answers anyways, because Minseok adapts to his surroundings and he is the closest thing Chanyeol has to what humans used to call ‘best friends.’ “During our first fight yesterday, Yixing got severely injured,” Chanyeol quietly says, feeling his eyes tear up from not being able to blink from the shock of it all. “He was choked, bad. He could’ve died. He suffered punches and kicks to his entire body, especially his head, and I couldn’t control it. My father said that I shouldn’t care about anything else but myself, but I cared and shouted because Yixing could’ve _died_.”

Minseok’s voice is equally quiet, gaze softening the longer he stares at him. “What happened next?”

“I had him immediately brought to the medical unit after he made a comeback and won,” Chanyeol murmurs, closing his eyes and feeling tears form and fall from the dryness of keeping them open for so long. “He looked scared, Minseok,” he confesses, whispering, before he opens his eyes and blinks profusely. “He told me he didn’t know what was going on. He talked out of line and said he wasn’t going to survive if he fought Baekhyun after that intense fight. He said he didn’t know these games were real.” He stares at Minseok, at a loss, because this entire hobby, this entire _field_ , is out of his realm of knowledge and comfort. “When I went back to check up on him, he reverted back to the stoic personality of the time I met him.”

“What did the physician do?” Minseok asks slowly, analyzing the situation.

Chanyeol thinks back to that moment. He thinks about what injuries Yixing sustained that needed the physician’s personal hand in helping to heal him. “His injuries were everywhere,” he murmurs in thought, “but the transponder in his head had been moved. The doctor said he was able to correct its placement.” He looks at Minseok then, focuses in on him at this moment. “Minseok, run a complete background check of EVOLVE and its panel. Compile a locked file of what you find that only opens to my voice and DNA recognition.” He pauses then, as he feels his stomach grumble, before looking to his cold food lightly scattered all over the tray. “Run a background check on Yixing Zhang. Find out where he comes from and if he still has family. I’ll eat this food in punishment for my behavior towards you.” His last statement causes a surprised laugh to burst from Minseok’s mouth, Chanyeol smiling at hearing it.

“Don’t be ridiculous, Chanyeol. There is warm food in the oven for you to eat.”

“I still have paperwork to do,” Chanyeol reasons, though he grimaces when he realizes how wet everything is on his desk. “Well, I suppose I have to clean this up myself before I can return to work.”

“Oh, move over, sir,” Minseok orders, rolling his eyes as he physically shoves Chanyeol away in his wheeled swivel chair. “Let me take care of this while I collaborate with Ray in completing your assigned tasks.”

Chanyeol moves to protest, feeling guilty for how he treated Minseok earlier that day, but then his android pins him with a stare that offers no room for argument. He sighs, exaggeratedly at him, before he stands and gives his android his own annoyed stare. “You act too human to be an android,” he comments, as he turns to leave the room.

“I cannot decide if that is a compliment or insult,” Minseok calls back and Chanyeol laughs, shaking his head as he walks down his hall towards the kitchen.

The house is quiet otherwise, like it is every day, but when he passes by the guest room, he sees that the door is cracked open. It’s enough for him to peek inside, curiosity getting the best of him, and he sighs softly when he sees Yixing curled up on his side underneath the comforter, half-empty glass of water next to him and tray of food absent this time. Honestly, Chanyeol doesn’t know what he was expecting, but he closes Yixing’s door anyways, wondering exactly what Minseok is going to find when he completes his research.

 

The next couple of days pass by in a blur. Chanyeol continues to conduct his meetings through his holographic transmitter from the safety of his home office. He’s able to visually see his clients and employees and act as if he’s in the same room as them when he’s not physically. He tries to complete his review of files and documents in a timely manner so they won’t build up, with the help of Ray filtering what needs to be looked at first and what doesn’t. Minseok ensures he eats in the middle of searching for information digitally. His eyes have glowed a faint green or yellow constantly since Chanyeol’s requests yet Chanyeol doesn’t give it a second thought as meals are placed on his side table in his office or glasses of water with a full pitcher is placed on the shelves behind his desk. He’s concentrating too much on doing his work, forgetting about everything else, until he hears a knock on his opened doorway and looks up to see Yixing standing there, practically looking brand new.

“Yixing,” Chanyeol addresses, almost gasping at seeing another person in the house with him. The fighter is wearing some of his casual clothes, which consists of a button-up shirt and some slacks, and Chanyeol hasn’t seen anyone wearing his own clothes in such a long time, especially with the top buttons undone like Yixing has now. “You shouldn’t be walking around.”

“I remembered about the scheduled fight, sir,” Yixing says, not moving from his place by the door and not speaking any louder than usual. The sleeves hang a little past his wrists. “It is tomorrow, right?”

Chanyeol blinks himself back into the conversation, staring at Yixing with wide eyes before looking down to his desk and searching for his calendar that appears to have disappeared beneath all his documents. He starts swiping them all away, because now he doesn’t know what day it is. “Ray,” he calls, hearing the affirmative “yes, sir,” “Details on events happening today.”

“You had a meeting with two clients at nine o’clock and eleven o’clock, respectively. You had a fifteen-minute lunch break. You have about four hours worth of documents and files to review. You have one fight scheduled with Kyungsoo Do and his fighter Baekhyun Byun at twenty o’clock tonight.”

“Tonight?” Chanyeol almost screams, looking to Yixing with wide eyes. He’d been so caught up in his work that he hadn’t even noticed so many days have passed by. He hadn’t even heard anything from Kyungsoo or– Chanyeol actually does scream, in frustration, as he slams his hand on his desk as a result. “Shit! I forgot to return Kyungsoo’s car!”

“Sir, please do not injure me more than usual,” Ray calmly says, and Chanyeol simply hits him again out of spite.

“Minseok!” Chanyeol calls, looking over to the doorway to see Yixing staring at him with wide eyes. Chanyeol feels like he’s all over the place, immediately standing and making his way towards him, a complete mess. “Minseok!”

“Stop yelling, Chanyeol,” Minseok says, Chanyeol only hearing him until he stands in the doorway by Yixing’s side. His android is walking towards him from down the hall, his eyes still faintly glowing green, and Chanyeol doesn’t understand the soft smile on Minseok’s face until Minseok side-glances Yixing next to him. “What is it you need, sir?”

Yixing is quiet as Chanyeol tries to calm down, breathing through his nose and out through his mouth in steady breaths. “Is Kyungsoo’s car still here?” he asks Minseok, watching as his android gives him a confused look. “I swear to the high heavens if I accidentally made Kyungsoo walk home–”

“I returned the car the day you brought Yixing home,” Minseok interrupts, smiling brightly at him now. “Kyungsoo had contacted me personally. While you focused on your work, I simply drove the car back to the establishment and met Kyungsoo in the lobby.”

“Oh, thank the heavens,” Chanyeol breathes out, physically feeling himself relax, all the tension bleeding out from his body at the news. It makes Minseok laugh before he’s walking between him and Yixing and entering his office. Yixing still looks confused but that confusion makes Chanyeol’s eyes widen in shock. “Our fight is today,” he whispers, watching the confusion fade from Yixing’s face only for it to be replaced by nothing expressive. Chanyeol stares at him a moment longer, confused himself, before looking over to Minseok and following after him into his office. “Yixing, enter.”

When Chanyeol makes it to Minseok, he doesn’t expect to see his android opening a small latch at the base of his skull. There are two small ports there for wires to connect to scan Minseok’s database and functions to ensure they’re all working properly. “Does Yixing want to see what I have so far?” Minseok asks quietly, walking over to the far end of the wall where he reaches down and undoes another latch to pull a wire that connects to the screen hung on the opposite wall.

Chanyeol looks to Yixing at the question. “I don’t know,” he answers, unconsciously eyeing his fighter again. He looks nice in his shirt. “Yixing, do you wish to see recordings that pertain to EVOLVE?”

“No, sir,” Yixing answers, though he’s staring at Minseok now.

Nonetheless, Chanyeol nods, eyeing Yixing carefully. “The fight is in three hours. Prepare yourself as much as you can here. We will leave once I’m done with this.” Before Yixing can turn away and leave, Chanyeol stops him with a quiet, “Yixing.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Strength.”

“Ninety-seven percent.”

“Stamina.”

“Ninety-five percent.”

“Energy.”

“Ninety-eight percent.”

Chanyeol frowns, watching as Yixing simply stares back at him, unmoving except for his breathing. “Do you think you can win today’s fight against Baekhyun?” It’s strange how _good_ Yixing looks standing there, refreshed, _in his clothes_ yet still strong and apparently capable.

“There is a fifty percent chance I may win,” Yixing answers, the corners of his lips twitching upwards. Chanyeol catches that, raising a curious eyebrow at him for explanation. “I had fought against Baekhyun previously. Once. I had lost.”

That catches Chanyeol off-guard, a soft “Ah” escaping his lips. There’s a look of determination in Yixing’s eyes, a simmering passion to win, and Chanyeol gets lost in it. “I see,” he mumbles, distracted, until he feels Minseok nudge him from behind. Chanyeol grunts at the impact of hard metal digging into his back, but he recovers, nodding once at Yixing. “Then let’s ensure your victory. Prepare as much as you can here.”

“Yes, sir,” Yixing simply says before he turns and leaves the room. The tail of Chanyeol’s button-up shirt hangs a little below Yixing’s waist and Chanyeol can’t understand how casual Yixing looks in, well, casual clothes.

“Stop staring at him like that,” Minseok suddenly scolds, punching Chanyeol in the back, right under his left ribs. It makes him grunt in pain, appalled, but Minseok is giving him a look telling him he is more than likely an idiot.

Chanyeol protests, “I’m not staring at him,” before he’s moving around to connect the wire to the back of Minseok’s head. He winces with each move he makes but he watches as the screen in front of them comes to life and Minseok’s irises and pupils fade to an almost silver color at the action. “It’s simply unexpected,” he continues to explain, hearing Minseok snort at his answer.

“Unexpected that he would be wearing your clothes? Chanyeol, even without my android capabilities, I could tell you wanted to do more than stand five feet away from him and stare at him like he spent the night in your room.”

“He did spend the night!” Chanyeol blurts, feeling his face heat up. His android is busy pulling up all the files he’s compiled over the last few days, but it doesn’t even stop him from teasing him. “He spent the night in my guest room, which is technically mine, and it’s unexpected he would be wearing my clothes because I assumed he would wear yours, considering what he wears when he fights.”

“Oh?” Minseok asks, tone lilting in the end. “And what does he wear when he fights?”

Chanyeol frowns at him. “You know what he wears when he fights. You’ve seen him fight through the screen.”

“As it were.” Minseok shrugs. “There is an underlying tension between you and him. But honestly, it’s more… _you_.”

The influx of files reverts to the very beginning of the stack, where the page is covered in black and white as if it was from a newspaper, and a closer look at the top corner of the page tells Chanyeol that this specific article was published during the generation of his grandparents. The title– _Ideas of Evolution_ –makes Chanyeol frown. The article talks about the idea of mixing several forms of fighting into one, which was what mixed martial arts was, but then it goes into vague ideals of having each match televised and scheduled regularly for entertainment.

“This isn’t anything unusual,” Chanyeol murmurs, continuing to scan the rest of the file as it scrolls down at the pace he reads. “This was typical back then with boxing, mixed martial arts, and wrestling matches on television screens.”

The next article details the history of humans and how there is ‘survival of the fittest.’ At this, Chanyeol laughs. “These people didn’t know the true meaning of that phrase, did they?” he asks, hearing Minseok’s murmur of “no, sir” before the next document is shown.

“Some of these files had been confidential and encrypted. I have decoded them to the best of my abilities, sir.”

Chanyeol hums, scanning the next few articles. They all talk about the development of a new game. It starts off as virtual, where people would hook themselves up to a virtual reality game and actively participate in those fights. It becomes less so over the years, where people would come up with creative ways to still fight but decrease their physical movement. There are tests, betas and limited edition timeframes, which proved the technology of gaming was advancing. There would be tournaments that offered big money to champion winners and gambling in illegal centers. Then, somehow, it transformed into these games involving partners. Typically, best friends would win these games. One would be more physically fit than the other who was the ‘brains’ of the duo. “But these are all common articles,” Chanyeol comments, staring at each one carefully to see if there were any missing information. “What would you need to decrypt from this?”

“This one,” Minseok answers quietly, skipping a few more articles before it lands on one where a majority of the lines are blacked out. His hands slowly lift up, fingers twitching as if he were typing, and Chanyeol watches as each one of the black lines are removed to show what’s lying underneath.

When the markings clear, Chanyeol bites the inside of his cheek. These were the times the country was starting to divide itself. There were those who were the upper class, able to afford and practically do anything they wish, and there were the lower class, those who couldn’t afford the proper amount of food and necessities needed to sustain a healthy life. These were two extremes and the middle class, the most abundant, was stuck in the middle. They were the clear working class that got stuck with the most demanding jobs. This article talks all about this, and then some. “Minseok, where are the rest of these documents?”

“Here, sir.”

“To sustain living,” Chanyeol reads off, feeling his heart pound in his chest at the words. “For those of the lower class to live,” he trails off.

“This is only the beginning, sir,” Minseok murmurs, bringing up file after file that contains almost all the same keywords. “I have read families have given up young children to the elite to serve as beings similar to androids when we first came into existence. This allowed these families to survive longer than those recorded within their social class.”

Chanyeol’s heart is racing, his head spinning, but it doesn’t stop him from asking, “What about Yixing?” He watches as more files are displayed on the screen–more articles, news clips, and official documents–but there’s no one specific name except for what he assumes is the creator of EVOLVE.

“I haven’t found anything yet, sir.”

Chanyeol skims through what he can, amazed with how much information Minseok has been able to find, that he completely forgets he has somewhere to be when he hears another knock on his office door. It startles him, making him jump in place, and he looks over to see Yixing in his normal fighting gear but his hair is styled up and away from his forehead. It even looks like he’s been sweating. “Yixing,” he calls, watching, as Yixing stands straighter at attention. “Are you _sweating_?”

Almost immediately, Minseok’s concentration cuts off, effectively shutting off his presentation on the screen. The room goes silent and Chanyeol is honestly at a loss when Yixing nods his head, strangely appearing confused. “Yes, sir. Do you require an explanation?”

“Oh, he requires to be the cau–”

“You were preparing,” Chanyeol loudly interrupts, throwing a glare over his shoulder at his android, who only smiles brightly in surprise, eyes back to normal. “We should leave now,” he announces, turning back to Yixing the moment he wipes the sweat off his forehead with his forearm, and positively ignores it. “Let’s go.” When he turns to leave, he makes sure to give Minseok one last warning glare. “Keep searching, if possible. Update your medical capabilities to the highest possible setting, including procedures and diagnoses. You know your limit with my account.”

Minseok’s smile doesn’t fade from his face, but the expression in his eyes changes, becoming more serious, solemn. “Yes, sir.”

Chanyeol walks by Yixing without sparing him a glance, expecting his fighter to follow right behind him. It stays like that until they’re walking in the streets and Yixing hovers close to his side. Others walking the streets spare them quick glances, catching sight of him and his own fighter in public, but Chanyeol doesn’t take the time to acknowledge them. He knows Yixing isn’t doing the same.

When they arrive to EVOLVE, the same receptionist greets him automatically. It reminds him of his scheduled fight with Kyungsoo in two hours yet Chanyeol doesn’t stop until they’re in the waiting lobby for fighters on the second floor. There aren’t very many people left–most of them having gone home already–and Chanyeol searches for the same back seats he always sits in. It’s unoccupied, as it should be, and he takes the time to sit and relax, eyes closing as he takes in a deep breath.

An android comes up to him, offering him more hors d’oeuvre and a small glass of water. Chanyeol thinks for a moment, refusing to look at Yixing, before he grabs two snacks, napkins, and a glass of water. He waits for the android to walk away to the other pair at the other side of the room before he looks to Yixing, uncertain. “Yixing,” he whispers, watching as Yixing immediately tilts his head to look down at him. Parts of his hair still fall into his eyes and Chanyeol doesn’t think he’s ever been more distracted in his life. When was the last time he had a significant other? “Do you require more nourishment?”

“No, sir,” Yixing answers, just as quietly, before he stands and resumes position again.

Chanyeol didn’t know what to expect, but that lifts an invisible weight off of his shoulders. He instantly stuffs one of the snacks into his mouth, tasting smoked salmon and cream cheese, before he eats the second in succession.

The fight occurring on the screen is boring, to say the least. There’s a clear-cut winner but the owners are dragging it out to fill in the time. Chanyeol can’t help but look to his watch, where the three-dimensional holographic image pops up, and he works through a couple more documents before he hears a rushing of feet in the distance. It’s distracting. It makes it nearly impossible to focus on anything more than two words long, and Chanyeol looks up annoyed to see Kyungsoo emerging from the connecting hallway with Baekhyun at his side. There are androids and humans alike following them and Chanyeol swears he sees relief flood Kyungsoo’s eyes when they land on him across the room. The other participant has already vacated the premises.

“Mr. Park,” one of the men gasps, rushing past Kyungsoo to stand in front of him. The man keeps his distance of about two feet, but then the android next to him is leaning forward into his personal space to listen to what he has to say. “This is reportedly your first fight with reigning champion Kyungsoo Do of EVOLVE. What are your thoughts about it?”

Chanyeol doesn’t mind publicity. Cameras surrounded him when he was a child, but then he carefully stayed out of the spotlights throughout his entire adolescent years. When he became of age to own his own company, he was thrust back into the spotlight only to never really leave it unless he was in his own company building or house. This isn’t new to him but at the same time, it still feels new.

He doesn’t get up from his seat. He simply stares at the reporter before a few others join him and he looks them each in the eye before he steels himself with a deep breath. “I believe it’s going to be an interesting fight,” he comments, flicking his gaze over to the right to see Kyungsoo staring at him. “I have heard that he has one of the highest win streaks within this company since its birth. Considering our players’ capabilities within the field, we could be evenly matched.”

“Your player has been rumored to be one of the rarest within the company,” a different reporter says, this time a woman. “He has some type of medical condition that’s been said to not exist in our world today. How can you be so confident that your player and Kyungsoo’s player will be evenly matched?”

“I’m Chanyeol Park,” Chanyeol easily says, as if that’s the only answer that’s needed, which in reality, it is. It makes Kyungsoo snort in incredulity and, definitely, the androids caught that on camera. “With my own abilities paired with my fighter, I am sure this is one fight no one is willing to miss.”

The reporters ask a few more questions before the service androids guide them away, informing them that they may physically sit within the balcony seats of Arena One where their fight will be held. There really is no need for them to, but if it provides an audience, Chanyeol guesses it doesn’t really matter in the end.

“I see Yixing is looking better,” Kyungsoo quietly comments, walking up to him with Baekhyun in tow. There’s a hint of a smile on Kyungsoo’s lips when he eyes Yixing again and Chanyeol doesn’t know what to make of it until he speaks again. “You won’t win.”

Chanyeol gapes, staring up at his friend with wide eyes, before he stands to be able to stare down at him appalled. “I believe there is a fifty percent chance we can win,” he argues, taking Yixing’s words from earlier.

“So, half,” Kyungsoo deadpans, before he laughs, his entire face lighting up.

Chanyeol frowns at his reaction but sighs afterwards anyways. “Yeah, half,” he concedes, looking over to see Yixing’s reaction. As expected, there’s none.

“Is he in prime condition to fight?” Kyungsoo quietly asks, voice laced with concern. He shouldn’t be, but he had seen how badly Yixing had been earlier that week. “He seems to be functioning normally.”

“Yeah,” Chanyeol agrees, staring at the stray hairs still brushing Yixing’s forehead. He wants to swipe it back, to keep it out of his eyes and help him see clearly during their fight. He cuts his gaze short though, looking over to stare at Baekhyun next, still looking like he always does every time he sees him. “I’m guessing Baekhyun’s ready.”

Kyungsoo nods, “When is he not?”

“Ah,” Chanyeol sighs, shaking his head slightly at his friend, amused. “This will definitely be a fight to remember.”

“I still have years on you, Park,” Kyungsoo laughs, making Chanyeol snort at his comment.

“Don’t underestimate my abilities, Do.”

 

Chanyeol taps on his earpiece twice, listening for any discrepancies that may happen, before he speaks into it. “Yixing, are you ready?” He looks to his player on the ground, standing on the side of slot two to the right of him. Yixing is standing there, staring at Baekhyun across from him, and Chanyeol watches as his player nods subtly in answer to him.

Looking across the clearing from him, Chanyeol catches Kyungsoo staring down at his own player, seeming to ask him the same question. When he finishes, they make eye contact before the timer appears between them and starts counting down. The reporters and androids are off to the sides of the arena, on the far end balconies, and they’re creating their own videos that’ll most likely appear in the news overnight.

“Ready,” Chanyeol murmurs, watching as two becomes one, before it disappears altogether. “Yixing, fight.”

It happens almost immediately. Yixing and Baekhyun run for each other only for Yixing to duck when Baekhyun is within reach to punch him. He misses but when Yixing tries to spin to swipe his leg across the floor and knock Baekhyun’s feet from under him, his opponent simply jumps before trying to land a kick next. Yixing easily blocks it with an arm held up next to his side.

Chanyeol has seen so many fights of Kyungsoo and Baekhyun, but it still doesn’t feel like it’s enough. They’re an unpredictable pair. They don’t have one set strategy to defeat their opponents and they always adapt midway in the fight. It’s exactly the same style Yixing has in fighting, but Chanyeol doesn’t know if he’s going to be a good enough owner to help Yixing win this fight.

There doesn’t even seem to be apparent weaknesses within Baekhyun’s body. He’s sturdy and balanced, any weaknesses that he _does_ have are covered up, and it doesn’t help any that he’s downright crafty in his moves. He uses his opponent’s moves against themselves and there’s always this subtle flare to his attacks and defenses. “Yixing,” Chanyeol calls, slowly, unsurely. He can’t tell what Yixing needs to do to gain the upper hand. “You’ve fought against him once before,” he reiterates, watching as Yixing blocks a punch to his face before trying to return it and missing. “You have free reign to do what needs to be done.”

Slowly, Chanyeol notices the way Yixing’s stance changes. His attacks turn towards power and his defenses are rare. He suffers more punches but less kicks. Chanyeol doesn’t even know what his fighter is thinking until Baekhyun lands one more kick before Yixing traps his leg against his side. It makes Baekhyun still, both of them breathing heavily, but then Baekhyun pushes off the ground with his other leg to try and kick Yixing square in the chest. It works, but then Yixing quickly grabs his other leg to toss him over to the side.

Immediately, Baekhyun scrambles to stand but he doesn’t react quickly enough. Chanyeol isn’t even sure if Yixing has been able to breathe from the kick before he punches Baekhyun in the face. It makes Kyungsoo’s fighter stumble backwards, caught off-guard, and Chanyeol watches as Yixing lands a few more punches to Baekhyun’s face and stomach next before kicking him away.

Only then does Yixing stop to breathe. He distances himself from Baekhyun and Chanyeol mentally curses when he sees Yixing wince when taking a deep breath. It happens several times, where Yixing flinches, and Chanyeol finally looks up across the arena to see Kyungsoo staring down hard at Baekhyun. His opponent doesn’t seem to be doing much better. There are bruises forming all over the left side of Baekhyun’s face and he flinches when he breathes in deep.

“Yixing,” Chanyeol calls, diverting his attention to his own player who nods at him in answer. “Are you okay? Are you ready?”

In response, Yixing’s right foot shifts into position. He steadies his breathing and Chanyeol can see Baekhyun doing the same. Neither of them moves but Chanyeol and Kyungsoo look to each other before his friend’s mouth moves and Baekhyun runs first. “Yixing, dodge,” Chanyeol quickly says, looking down to watch Yixing move out of the way in time to avoid Baekhyun’s punch. “Fight.”

The reporters on either side of the arena are quiet, their androids recording the entire thing, and Chanyeol tries to not let this fight get to him. He sees Yixing get punched in the head and chest, kicked in the stomach, but then he also sees Yixing retaliate back by using Baekhyun’s own weight against him. It’s hard, but Yixing manages to weaken Baekhyun more than was previously possible within the past year. It makes him feel proud but worried, because Baekhyun is undeniably resilient.

“If you feel your energy drain to ten percent or below,” Chanyeol murmurs, watching as his and Kyungsoo’s players punch, kick, and throw each other around, “then give me some signal so I can call it. You are strong enough to withstand his attacks, but do not get severely injured.”

There’s a grunt that resonates within his head, as Yixing gets knocked back into a wall before he kicks Baekhyun in the chest away from him, but then there’s another grunt when Baekhyun spins and kicks Yixing in the head. It’s enough to knock Yixing to the ground, struggling with his eyes closed as he tries to find his bearings, and Chanyeol watches with bated breath as Baekhyun takes a step back to allow his fighter to stand.

“Yixing,” Chanyeol calls, sitting up straighter to see his player better, “Yixing, get up.”

When Yixing blinks, finally able to keep his eyes open, Chanyeol can see the confusion and pain swirling in his eyes. He’s staring at Baekhyun across from him before looking around the arena.

“Yixing,” Chanyeol calls again, slowly, watching as Yixing continues to look around. “Yixing, look up, across from you.” There’s blood oozing from the wounds on his face and chest, bruises all over his arms, and Chanyeol’s sure the swelling he sees now will only worsen later tonight. “Do you need me to call this fight? Don’t speak.”

It comes within a few minutes, a subtle shake of the head, and Chanyeol looks away from him and to Kyungsoo across the clearing. His friend is staring at him confused but all Chanyeol can offer him is a shrug of the shoulders, hoping his own confusion and worry isn’t showing on his face.

“Yixing,” Chanyeol says, looking back down to see his fighter moving to stand back up. It’s clear when Yixing winces, when he moves to try and figure out what’s going on, and Chanyeol gasps with him when Yixing lifts his arm a certain way and flinches as a result. “Knock Baekhyun back some more, and then we’ll call it.”

Despite the struggle, Yixing manages to move quickly. He runs for Baekhyun, catching him off-guard, and he lands a punch to Baekhyun’s face before his next attacks are blocked. He swings his legs out next, trying to successfully land a kick, and it works as Yixing falls to his side to use the ground as leverage to kick up at Baekhyun’s chin. It’s enough to make their opponent fall backwards, momentarily dazed, and Yixing scrambles to stand. “Yixing, don’t attack him yet,” Chanyeol warns, watching as Baekhyun rolls over and takes a moment to collect himself. Other fighters would go in for the finish, attacking their opponent until they’re near death, but he and Kyungsoo agreed to be civil with their fight tonight.

From his view, Chanyeol can see Baekhyun opening and closing his jaw. His eyes are screwed shut and he looks across to find Kyungsoo’s mouth moving at a rapid pace. His gaze is intense, steady on his fighter, and Chanyeol can feel his pain and worry.

There’s a moment where Baekhyun slowly stands, still stretching his jaw, and Chanyeol waits with bated breath to see what happens next. Obviously, both of their players are still able to fight. They’re both standing and still able to move all their extremities. Neither of them is going to give up but then a phone in the room rings and it makes Chanyeol jolt at the sudden noise.

Looking around, Chanyeol finds the phone next to him, embedded within the glass table between his chair and the next, and he picks it up without question. “Mr. Park,” he greets, staring down at his player before hearing a familiar voice.

“Ask your fighter how much energy he has left,” Kyungsoo says, voice low and quiet. “I will ask the same.”

Chanyeol stares at his friend confused, but he does as told. He looks down to his fighter. “Yixing,” he calls, watching as his fighter’s mouth twitches. He can hear Kyungsoo saying the same to Baekhyun. “Energy.”

Simultaneously, Yixing and Baekhyun say, “Forty-three percent.”

It’s way above the amount Chanyeol thought Yixing would say, but he’s impressed nonetheless.

“An hour has passed since the start of the fight,” Kyungsoo says through the phone, Chanyeol forgetting he was holding it up to his ear in the first place. “As the challenger, you have the option to continue the fight until one of our players faints or we can conclude this session in a draw.”

Chanyeol looks to the time on his watch, the holographic screen showcasing five past twenty-one o’clock, and then he looks to Yixing below them. He knows his fighter can go longer. He’s _seen_ his fighter almost fight to the death. This fight hasn’t come close to what he and Baekhyun are both capable of, but Yixing still looks confused. Baekhyun does too. “I request this session be concluded as a draw,” he decides, looking to his friend to see him nod.

“I will meet you outside the arena.”

The connection ends and Chanyeol doesn’t hesitate to say, “Yixing, return,” seconds after. He absently returns the phone to its spot, too focused on watching the way Yixing moves when he walks, and he only gets up when he sees Yixing make it a meter away from the door.

 

“There is no need for medical attention here,” Chanyeol announces once he sees Yixing surrounded by androids. His fighter appears nonchalant about it all, but there’s something else in his eyes, something foreign. His posture is tense. “I will have him evaluated outside the facility.” The androids process his words before they leave, allowing Chanyeol room to go up to Yixing personally, and he frowns when he sees all of his wounds up close. They’re worsening by the minute.

Down the hall, he can hear Kyungsoo saying the same thing. It makes him curious, looking over in the direction he can hear him from, and he barely sees a glimpse of him before he hears a soft, “My office, Park.”

Immediately, Chanyeol looks over to Yixing. “Are you able to walk?”

“Yes,” Yixing answers, quietly, sucking in a breath when he takes his first step. His actions are different, as are his words, but Chanyeol doesn’t mention any of it as he leads Yixing towards Kyungsoo’s office. He makes sure Yixing doesn’t stumble or fall, brushes away anyone who comes near them, and he’s thankful all the reporters had been ushered out before he and his fighter were reunited outside the arena.

When they make it to Kyungsoo’s office, Chanyeol’s surprised to find Kyungsoo is the one closing the door behind them. He’s also surprised to see Baekhyun lying on his back on the floor with his eyes closed. It isn’t until Kyungsoo’s office is made secure that either one of them opens their mouths.

“I’m thankful you chose to close the fight,” Kyungsoo murmurs, voice soft and tired. He’s staring at Baekhyun at the side of the room, gaze filled with worry. “I just wanted to say that before we left for the night.”

Now, Chanyeol knows something is different. It’s the only time he’s seen so much emotion in Kyungsoo’s eyes. “Kyungsoo,” he calls, trying to catch his attention. It works, but only for a moment. “Kyungsoo.”

“If it’s no trouble,” Kyungsoo interrupts quietly, “I would like to bring you and Yixing home. Perhaps, we can all have a light dinner.”

The atmosphere around them is tense, Chanyeol can practically feel it on his shoulders weighing him down, and he looks over to Yixing who looks like he’s struggling to make sense of what this room even is. He should be lying down, like Baekhyun, and Kyungsoo would only suggest going to his house for two reasons surely: for social matters or for safety. Chanyeol knows more than anyone else that his house is one of the safest and most secured places in the city. “Yeah,” he murmurs, hearing Kyungsoo grab his key and call Baekhyun from the ground. “It should be no trouble.”

The smile Kyungsoo sends him is grateful. No words are spoken when they leave the building and Chanyeol waits until they’re in the safety of his house, with the door securely locked behind them, to ask. “Minseok, we have some guests,” he calls out, hearing more than one pair of feet scrambling about. His forehead scrunches together in confusion, walking over towards the kitchen where he can hear the clinks and clangs of pots and pans, and he’s surprised to see Jongdae trying to work around Minseok in making them dinner too. “Jongdae?”

“Hello, Mr. Park!” Jongdae greets, turning to give him a bright smile and wave. “I apologize. Kyungsoo informed me to visit here as well!”

Chanyeol forgets how loud Jongdae can be in person. “It’s alright,” he answers in response, still staring at him confused, before he turns to Kyungsoo and their fighters. “This must be important.” He eyes Yixing next, “Go rest. Minseok will call you for dinner.”

Yixing nods immediately but doesn’t move. He looks as confused as Chanyeol feels about the situation, uncertain, and Chanyeol catches the nervous glances he sends Kyungsoo and Baekhyun every few minutes.

“Yixing,” Chanyeol calls, walking over closer to him. The blood has dried on his face, the bruises and swelling seem to have reached their peak, and Chanyeol wants to wipe it all away. “Kyungsoo and Baekhyun can be trusted,” he says, before he looks over with a questioning glance to see Baekhyun looking as fidgety as Yixing. “Right?”

“Yes,” Kyungsoo immediately answers, moving to the living room to sit down in one of the single plush chairs. “Baekhyun, lie down on the couch.”

Limping, Baekhyun manages to make it to the couch to lie down. A soft sigh leaves his lips as he relaxes. “Thank you, sir.”

“It’s fine, Baekhyun. I know the transponder has shifted.”

Almost immediately, a whine slips out of Baekhyun’s mouth. It’s faint, barely heard over the sizzling of whatever Minseok and Jongdae are cooking in the kitchen, but Chanyeol hears it and he walks over with Yixing to see what’s going on. Baekhyun’s eyes are closed, no other sounds leaving his mouth, and when Chanyeol looks to Kyungsoo for answers, all he receives is a shrug in return.

“I know Yixing has regained it.”

Chanyeol doesn’t even know what that means but when he looks over to his fighter, to see him standing and constantly shifting on his feet uncomfortably, Chanyeol can’t help the way his chest constricts at the sight. “Let’s go to your room. Make yourself comfortable.” He watches as Yixing turns to him with wide eyes before Kyungsoo interrupts them again.

“Yixing, what do you remember?”

Before Chanyeol has any time to comprehend what his friend is asking, Yixing is tearing up. His eyes water but he tries to blink away the tears before they fall. It makes him panic, to reach out and try to gently wipe the moisture away, but after the initial flinch, Yixing simply relaxes under his touch.

“I remember running through the streets,” Yixing murmurs quietly, eyes closing as his body starts to shake. It confuses Chanyeol, staring at his fighter strangely, before looking to Kyungsoo and then Baekhyun who’s opened his eyes again to stare at him. “My family wasn’t the richest. We struggled to get food and the necessities to survive.”

“I read that you offered yourself to EVOLVE in exchange for ten years’ worth of food, water, and other human necessities for survival for your family,” Kyungsoo says with a sigh. He unbuttons his jacket, slips himself out of it only to toss it onto the glass table in the middle of the room, before unbuttoning his sleeves to get comfortable. “You were worth more than ten years though. I’m surprised the company gave your family twenty years of comfort in exchange for you.”

“What are you all talking about?” Chanyeol asks, demands, as he stares at everyone confused. His head is spinning, thinking back to Minseok’s presentation from earlier, but he hadn’t gotten far with the progress of it before he had to attend this fight. He remembers seeing words of ‘evolution’ and ‘fighters,’ but they all signed up voluntarily to win rewards.

“The chips in our brains?” Baekhyun suddenly says, speaking up. It startles Chanyeol with how soothing his voice actually is, and it’s strange to look over to see Baekhyun lifting a hand to point at exactly where the transponders are in the fighters’ heads, behind his left ear. “It’s some messed up technology to get rid of our consciousness.”

Chanyeol doesn’t understand, not until Kyungsoo sighs again. “The whole purpose of EVOLVE was to develop a new game that would sweep the world. You know about all of that,” he mentions, staring at Chanyeol until he nods. “The creator wanted to take it a step further, include virtual reality and other technological advances that were controversial at the time but could become important later on.” When he stares at Yixing, there’s an expression of regret in his eyes, especially when he looks to Baekhyun afterwards. “Scientists started testing on humans after all the tests on animals were successful. They implanted chips right underneath the skin where a thread of wire was linked to some specific part of the brain to help control their movements to how others wanted. At the time, those being controlled could still resist their commands and suggestions, though it was only by thirty-four percent. Any other time, they couldn’t control their body how they wanted.”

There’s a pause, where Chanyeol feels like it’s too short and too long all at once, and he thinks he’s having trouble breathing when Kyungsoo speaks up again.

“More testing was done. Humans being controlled were aware of what they were doing but it wasn’t until a couple decades later that scientists had found a way to silence them. They found the right spot within the brain to shut down their memories and consciousness. It made it easier for others to control them how they wanted. It was all very primitive at the time, speaking into a microphone to urge those players to move, but then,” Kyungsoo sighs, trails off, closing his eyes. “You know how technology is. There was a boom and all of a sudden, to earn easy cash and sustainable living, humans were offering themselves to become players to rich people’s games. Androids were first used but within five years, they failed to bring any sort of new entertainment to the popular crowd.”

Yixing is taking in deep breaths next to him, wincing whenever his chest is jostled too much, and Chanyeol can’t help but stutter out his own breaths. He wasn’t aware of the true development of EVOLVE. He doesn’t remember his grandparents or parents ever talking about it when he was a child, but he must have been present somehow if EVOLVE was _this_ controversial, if EVOLVE managed to make its way into _his_ city.

“Street urchins with peak bodies are taken in to become new fighters,” Kyungsoo murmurs quietly, almost sounding guilty. “Anyone can offer themselves to be a fighter but if no one does, EVOLVE picks them off of the streets.”

“What streets?” Chanyeol demands, finally looking over to his friend again. He walks these streets every day. He can see every street from his office in his building. He’s never seen anyone out on the streets who looks anything less than upper class.

“The streets no one wants to see.”

Kyungsoo’s answer is so simple, but it opens Chanyeol’s eyes. He stares at him, at a loss, before looking over to Yixing and then Baekhyun next to them. Unlike Yixing, Baekhyun looks relaxed, calm, and he wants to know why.

“I did it like all the others,” Baekhyun answers with a shrug, staring at him. His entire expression is dark, but there’s amusement underlying all of it, mocking. “I was from Volure Street, one of the back ones away from civilization. My parents had forced my older brother to leave the country with me, but they only had enough money to send him away for something better. He was older, more capable. By the time caring for me became too much, I offered myself to EVOLVE with the promise that my parents will earn something better than when they had me. I was evaluated and considered one of the best picks of that month, eventually for that year. I guess it helped I worked out then. There wasn’t much else to do except keep my family safe from other people.” His gaze cuts to Kyungsoo then, eyes brightening the slightest bit. “I got lucky when Kyungsoo chose me as his fighter.”

“Some fighters still retain their consciousness,” Kyungsoo continues on, gaze never leaving Baekhyun’s. “But acting on that consciousness is less than three percent. Baekhyun happened to be one of the only fighters ever to retain all of that.”

The aroma of food suddenly hits Chanyeol, making his mouth water at the smell of it, but then he notices the looks between his friend and his fighter. He understands the hints of smiles and the subtlety in the way they protect each other. “You’ve,” he starts, trailing off when they each look to him. It’s too much, all at once, and he looks over to Yixing because this is overwhelming in all sense of the word. “Yixing,” he says, uncertainly, watching as Yixing looks to him with red eyes. He doesn’t know what to say.

“Yixing was just like the rest with his consciousness,” Kyungsoo explains softly. “He couldn’t remember anything when that chip and wire was placed correctly. It caught me off-guard when you told me he spoke to you out of line. I didn’t think he would get that injured with you as his owner.”

“I,” Chanyeol mumbles, suddenly feeling uncomfortable with the terms. It’s different, owning a human and an android.

“Sirs,” Jongdae calls out, walking into the living room with a bright smile on his face. “Dinner is ready.” He eyes the situation then, the tense atmosphere, before his eyes glow a faint green as he processes Yixing and Baekhyun’s body conditions. “I shall bring food out for the injured, so they do not require much movement.”

“I’m not _that_ injured!” Baekhyun suddenly shouts out, shocking Chanyeol into jumping. It makes Kyungsoo chuckle and Jongdae laugh but then the android is returning to the kitchen and Chanyeol can’t control his speeding heart.

“If I may, sir,” Yixing quietly says, head tilting down so his fringe covers his eyes. “I will find my room and lay down.”

Chanyeol doesn’t like it. He doesn’t know how to react other than to gesture in the direction of Yixing’s room. “You don’t have to call me sir like this,” he murmurs, shooting Kyungsoo a quick look, before he walks ahead of Yixing to guide him down the hallway. There’s the bickering of Jongdae and Baekhyun behind them and, belatedly, Chanyeol can recognize the sounds as the same as over the phone when he called Kyungsoo that one day.

It doesn’t take long to bring Yixing to his room, but it does take long for Yixing to open the door and simply stand there. He stares at the room, at how spacious and clean it is, and Yixing gasps before wincing. “I hurt so much,” he whimpers out, hand coming up to clutch at his shirt. It makes him flinch from the pain. “I didn’t expect to lose everything.”

Chanyeol wants to soothe him, to take some semblance of the pain away, because he’s never been in it himself. He’s never been in pain except when he accidentally trips over himself or turns a corner too early and hits his hip. He’s never experienced a deep, aching pain he feels Yixing is experiencing right now and he just wants to help him. “If it’s alright, I would like to enter your room with you,” he says, watching as Yixing’s head whips to him in surprise. “I want to see where this implant is in your head.”

The relief that floods Yixing is immediate, visible for him to see, and it makes Chanyeol smile the smallest bit. “Yes, si–,” Yixing says before he cuts himself off, head tilting down before he walks into his room. “Yes,” he repeats as he moves to the chair at the side of the room. He winces when he sits, groaning when he finally hits the cushions and relaxes, and Chanyeol hurries over to him to check his head.

“I’m going to touch you now,” he warns, waiting for Yixing to say, “Yes,” before he’s reaching out and trying to separate the blood from his hair and skin. It’s difficult when there’s so much and Chanyeol frowns before leaving his side to go to the adjoining bathroom to retrieve a wet cloth.

When he returns, Yixing is still sitting there. His head is tilted down and he looks small and out of place in this room. “I’m going to clean the blood off the best I can,” Chanyeol informs quietly, watching as Yixing nods again, before he leans in to gently wipe off the dried blood on his cheek. It doesn’t take long, but Chanyeol isn’t used to leaning over so much. He moves to kneel on one knee in front of him to get a better look and from this angle, Chanyeol can see all the emotions swirling in Yixing’s eyes. He can see the fear, the confusion, the relief of him wiping away the grime and blood and Chanyeol can’t help but reach out to gently tilt Yixing’s head up with the knuckle of his finger underneath his chin. With him kneeling, Yixing is taller than him, staring down at him, and Chanyeol feels his heart stop in his chest when Yixing closes his eyes before tilting his head to the side.

Once Chanyeol cleans the majority of the left side of Yixing’s face and hair, he tries to gently clean the area behind his left ear. There’s a small incision scar there, almost completely invisible by now, but Chanyeol tries not to mess with it too much. Instead, he tries to feel around the area, gentle touches with the tips of his fingers, and he doesn’t even realize Yixing is squirming until he gasps, “What are you doing?”

Chanyeol pauses in his ministrations, leaning back far enough to stare Yixing in the eyes, because isn’t it obvious? “I’m trying to see if I can feel the wire that connects to this transponder,” he answers, though he doesn’t move a centimeter. “It might not even be palpable underneath your skin, but I need to see where it goes.”

“Why?” Yixing mumbles, squirming again. This time, Chanyeol notices. He pulls away from him completely to try and catch Yixing’s gaze, to ask him what’s wrong, but then he breathes out a sigh of relief. “It was ticklish,” he confesses.

Chanyeol blinks. “Oh.” He stares at Yixing, momentarily confused, before he laughs. It’s loud, incredulous, and he swears he sees Yixing’s cheeks pink at his reaction.

“Why is he laughing?” Minseok suddenly asks, before he knocks on the opened door. It defeats the purpose, but Chanyeol can’t bear to scold him for it. Despite the injuries that litter Yixing’s body, he seems to be acting fine. He’s more _human_ than Chanyeol has ever seen him.

Yixing doesn’t respond to Minseok. He glances over at him with wide eyes but no sound comes out every time he opens his mouth. It seems to amuse his android too, because Minseok is laughing softly next and Yixing is frowning a minute later.

“I see,” Minseok comments, smiling at him. “Currently, Mr. Do and Baekhyun are eating. I came to inform you that I have already set out plates for each of you as well. I have also downloaded the information and protocols you have requested previously, sir. Because of this, I request your permission to examine Baekhyun’s wounds as he eats. When Yixing is ready, I will examine him as well.”

Chanyeol nods at him, smiling, feeling something in his chest lift and making him feel lighter in the process. “Of course,” he says, watching as Minseok tilts his head in return. “Kyungsoo has always been a wonderful friend. Do as much as you can to help him and Baekhyun.”

“Yes, sir.”

As Minseok leaves, Chanyeol pushes off of the ground to stand up. His knee aches from the pressure of his own body and he winces as he tries to shake the throbbing pain out of it. It hurts with each step he takes back towards the bathroom, but he doesn’t mind it much when the pain slowly ebbs away into nothingness.

The blood washes away with the warm water from the sink and Chanyeol thinks about calling Minseok back to bring ice for Yixing’s wounds, maybe bandages because one of Yixing’s wounds had opened up again, but when Chanyeol makes it back into the room, Yixing is staring at him with a different mixture of emotions in his eyes. “What?” he asks, walking forward to wipe the rest of the blood away from Yixing’s face. This time, Yixing helps him by tilting his head up for easier access.

“Your knees are not ideal for kneeling,” Yixing comments, eyes closing when Chanyeol starts wiping close to it. “It is also not ideal for fighting, though the length is perfect for kicking.”

Chanyeol smiles, amused. “You seem to have great analytical skills.”

“Waking up in the middle of a fight and listening to your words help,” Yixing murmurs. “I have to adapt quickly to survive.”

The words make the smile fade from Chanyeol’s face. It makes him worry, wondering back to the fight where Yixing almost died, and he refrains from reaching out to touch Yixing’s neck. He keeps one of his hands gently holding the clean side of Yixing’s head while his other hand keeps wiping away at the blood. He doesn’t want to mention it.

“You’re very intimate in here” comes a new voice. It doesn’t faze Chanyeol but Yixing jolts right in front of him. “Though, it’s not as bad as Mr. Do and Baekhyun–”

“Jongdae!” Kyungsoo suddenly shouts, loud enough to echo down the hallway. It makes Chanyeol freeze in shock, Yixing stilling as well, but all Jongdae does is laugh and put his hands up in surrender.

“I came to inform you that Minseok threatens your life if you refuse to come out and eat within ten minutes, five of which I have accidentally stalled.”

Almost immediately, Chanyeol groans. He takes a step back, away from Yixing, and tosses the bloodied towel to Jongdae who scrunches his nose at it. “Clean that up then,” he says, watching as Jongdae enters the room.

“Rude,” Jongdae calls back, even as he goes to the bathroom to do as told. “You better wash your hands, Mr. Park.”

Chanyeol rolls his eyes at the other android before looking to Yixing. His fighter–Yixing–looks cleaner, more presentable despite the swelling and bruises lingering, and he nods at his handiwork before taking another step back. “Go and eat as much as you want,” he tells him. He waits for Yixing to move, to do anything else but sit there and blink up at him, but he doesn’t do anything. Chanyeol frowns. “What is it?”

“I will wait for you,” Yixing murmurs quietly, before his gaze shifts to Jongdae humming in the bathroom. It’s happened so many times, Chanyeol can’t help but stare at him curiously.

“Why do you keep staring at Jongdae and Minseok like they’re going to hurt you?”

Yixing flinches at the question, shifting to look down at the floor instead, and Chanyeol actually _regrets_ his question. “Before,” Yixing says anyways, explaining, alluding to his life outside of EVOLVE, “androids weren’t so kind to us. In my section of the city, we had to learn how to fight to keep them from hurting the ones we love.”

It’s something unfathomable. All the androids Chanyeol have seen are polite and courteous, never falling out of line unless given explicit approval by those who own them. He can’t imagine an android acting out severe enough to hurt humans with intent to harm. “Any malfunctioning android should have been terminated,” he says quietly, confused. “I created this law. It should have been enforced.”

“You don’t see everything that happens within and around the city,” Yixing fires back, looking up to him with anger in his eyes. “Androids thought they were superior to us only because they were created by people like _you_.”

Chanyeol’s breath hitches. All thoughts running in his head skid to a stop and he stares down at a man whose anger is bursting at the seams towards him. It renders him speechless, making him still completely, and he doesn’t know what to say or do to fix this.

It’s clear there’s more Yixing wants to say, but he doesn’t get to say it when Jongdae exits the bathroom and Minseok comes barging into the guest room fuming as much as Yixing. “You’re still here,” both Minseok and Jongdae say at once, though Minseok is practically yelling at him now. “I told you to go outside and eat within ten minutes, Chanyeol,” Minseok continues on, frown set on his lips.

Behind him, Yixing has gone silent. Chanyeol looks over his shoulder to check on him, to see a mixture of fear and anger swirling in his eyes, and he needs to do something to make things better. “I still need to wash my hands, Minseok,” he says, turning back to the androids and watching as Minseok raises an eyebrow at him instead. “I will be at the dining table within seven minutes, with Yixing.”

“I swear on my creators, Chanyeol,” Minseok starts, before Chanyeol cuts him off with a glare.

“Go.” He stares his android down, ignoring everything else except Yixing’s discomfort and anger, and he sighs quietly when he sees Jongdae wordlessly go over to Minseok to drag him out of the room. There’s immediate bickering outside the door but it’s quiet, in hushed whispers. “These two androids won’t harm you,” he says, turning back to face Yixing. “They–”

“They won’t harm you because you _created_ them,” Yixing hisses back, quickly standing from his seat. With each step he takes forward, Chanyeol stays put, watching as Yixing comes up close enough to glare up at him within a few centimeters. Chanyeol can see the lighter flecks of brown in Yixing’s eyes. “Because of your name, no one would dare harm you in fear of getting themselves thrown in the slumps.” A burst of laughter escapes Yixing’s lips, mocking, disdainful. “If you experienced what we all have, your little haven would crumble around you. You wouldn’t even be able to _survive_.”

“I didn’t know,” Chanyeol murmurs, looking into Yixing’s eyes. He’s never seen anyone this angry before. It’s unnerving, intriguing, and he flinches when the corners of Yixing’s lips twitch up into a smirk. “Yixing.”

Yixing doesn’t say anything else. He simply stares up at him, the anger burning in his eyes, but then he turns away. He stays quiet as he leaves the room and Chanyeol is left standing there, with Yixing’s blood on his hands, speechless.

 

The Solar is quiet. There’s nothing more than quiet murmurs of Minseok and Jongdae at the other side of the room, but Chanyeol knows it’s to collaborate and figure out a way to best treat his and Kyungsoo’s players. Almost immediately, Chanyeol shakes his head at the thought, because Yixing is a person, not a player.

“It’s hard to get used to,” Kyungsoo murmurs, sighing, as he finally takes his eyes off of Baekhyun. Both he and Yixing are shirtless as their androids examine them and it’s the first time Chanyeol has seen so many scars on two people’s bodies at once. “The first time it happened for me, I honestly didn’t know what to do. He talked out of line and was loud. I thought those on the panel would see and hear and throw him out.”

Chanyeol’s head still reels from the information, watching as Yixing lifts his arms and Minseok lays gentle hands on his chest. There’s a flinch Chanyeol can see, one where he can see Yixing’s instinctive move to knock someone away from him, but he remains as still as he can. It took a lot of convincing from Minseok’s end for Yixing to not punch him again. At least he was successful compared to him.

“Once Baekhyun regained his consciousness and told me what was happening to him, I petitioned to have him leave the facility with me. I investigated into the background of the company more and found out it all has to do with the transponders in their heads. I haven’t seen any surgery personally, but I didn’t know who to go to or how to remove it without it possibly triggering anything.”

Finally looking away from Yixing, Chanyeol turns to his friend instead. “You want to remove the transponder?” he asks, confused. He watches as Kyungsoo shrugs before he nods, eventually. “Why?” Looking back to the others across the room, Chanyeol can see Baekhyun turning onto his side towards Yixing, mouth moving. He assumes they’re talking to each other. “Why do you stare at him like you do?”

Kyungsoo laughs then, softly. It makes Baekhyun pause in what he’s doing to look down at them. He looks confused but then all Kyungsoo does is wave away his attention. “There are more emotions in the world than happiness and boredom,” he says, turning away completely so he’s not facing Baekhyun at all. It takes a few minutes, where Kyungsoo simply stares at the family portraits Chanyeol has in this room behind them, all digital but one antique hand-painted one, and then a soft, “I want to give him his freedom back.”

“His freedom,” Chanyeol echoes, looking over to see Yixing flinch again when Minseok touches his side.

“They’re humans, Chanyeol. I know you feel something strange with Yixing,” Kyungsoo reasons, looking over at him. His eyes are wide from this angle, imploring, and Chanyeol doesn’t deny it. “He may be angry at you now and you may not realize it, but you’re probably going to depend on him a lot more later on.”

“That’s not what I expected to hear,” Chanyeol confesses, laughing softly at himself in disbelief. He turns then, faces one of the digital portraits of him and his family, and reaches out to touch it. The picture disappears and he taps a code into the keypad that shows up until his files from work pop up. He still hasn’t finished this week’s workload.

“You can’t deny my accusations though,” Kyungsoo continues on, reaching out to swipe one of the files closer to him for better viewing. “You managed to initiate a contract with EVOLVE,” he murmurs, not sounding at all surprised.

Chanyeol sighs, taking his time reading it over. “Yixing has re-introduced certain emotions within me,” he says quietly, making sure those at the other side of the room can’t hear him. He isn’t sure what else he should say, but he figures Kyungsoo doesn’t care, not in this day and age. “It was so _strange_ seeing him so angry at me.”

Kyungsoo snorts at that. “You did destroy half of the city population’s lives. Or well, your family did at least.”

“I didn’t have any say in what they did,” Chanyeol grumbles, swiping away the EVOLVE contract to look at later. “They kept me sheltered until I was needed.”

“I know,” Kyungsoo murmurs, almost sounding aggravated. “Why do you think we stopped meeting each other when we were younger?”

Chanyeol isn’t sure anymore. “I thought we just… became busy,” he answers quietly, sounding ridiculous after. They shouldn’t have been busy. Their families were taking care of everything their androids weren’t capable of doing and they both had older siblings to keep their parents occupied most of the time. He sighs before he shakes his head, slapping his hand on the portrait in frustration. It’s enough to cause those at the other side of the room to pause what they’re doing and Chanyeol can’t handle much more of this. He looks over to Kyungsoo before looking over to their androids and… Yixing and Baekhyun.

“I will sleep first,” he announces, catching Minseok’s gaze. “If Kyungsoo, Baekhyun, and Jongdae wish to stay the night, prepare their rooms. If they decide to leave, please escort them.” He looks to Yixing next, who’s avoiding his stare. “Yixing, you have free reign of the house.” Almost immediately, that makes Yixing look to him, eyes wide again. His consciousness isn’t going to change how Chanyeol treats him. If anything, he’s going to treat him like an equal.

“Chanyeol,” Kyungsoo calls, before he can leave the room. He’s staring at him worriedly, eyebrows furrowed in concern. He doesn’t say anything else, leaving the unspoken question hanging in the air around them.

“I apologize,” Chanyeol says, feeling strange for even saying that phase. It’s like his whole life is being turned upside down. He doesn’t know how to react to it. “Make yourselves at home.”

Before anybody else can say a word, Chanyeol leaves the room.

 

The rest of the weekend passes by quietly. There are soft murmurs and clinks and _thuds_ echoing throughout the house, enough to warrant curiosity and suspicion, but Chanyeol has ensured the door to his office remains closed. He’s been focusing on his work since he woke up the morning after, at four o’clock, and he hasn’t been able to get a good amount of peaceful sleep since.

With every file and document he looks over, he makes sure none of them has the word EVOLVE included. If it does, he swipes it away to review later, not even wanting to be near or reminded of it any time soon. But eventually, Friday turns to Monday and he knows he has meetings to attend and other documents to sign. He doesn’t even know if Kyungsoo and his… people… are still in his house or not.

“Sir, you have only received six hours of sleep over the span of three days,” Ray suddenly says, spooking Chanyeol. The corner of his desk is lighting up with his secretary’s words, but it’s almost hidden by how much Chanyeol has swiped away and put a variety of mugs and glasses all around it. “You have also not had a proper meal.”

“If Minseok is making you do this,” Chanyeol warns, moving files out of the way to actually see the sound visualizer. “I order you to stop. I have been eating whatever Minseok leaves in this room.”

His desk remains quiet for a moment before it speaks up again. “Minseok is not making me do this, sir,” Ray answers. That catches Chanyeol’s attention, suddenly feeling dizzy when his gaze darts to the other side of his desk to see what’s left. Ray can’t lie to him. “Though, Minseok has expressed his artificial worry. Artificial, as in he is made of metal and biosynthetic parts.”

Chanyeol rolls his eyes at his desk, slapping his hand on top of it in warning. “Yes, I understand why his worry is artificial,” he says, before he taps on an icon that brings his schedule up. He has a meeting scheduled for the late afternoon and then two fights after that. Yixing’s anger flashes across his mind, along with his and Kyungsoo’s words, and he groans as he knocks his head down on his desk. He hasn’t spoken to anyone since the incident, ignoring Minseok’s presence every time he comes into the room to deliver him his meals and to retrieve the semi-empty trays, and he doesn’t want to change that now.

“That hurt, sir.”

“Oh, shut up,” Chanyeol groans, wishing his desk wasn’t as sarcastic as it is now. He doesn’t even know how he managed to get one of the few desks with some semblance of a personality, but he guesses he’s lucky in that too.

His head hurts, his back aches, and his stomach protests if he thinks any more than the usual ‘this contract is not cool’ or ‘yeah, this contract is alright.’ He knows he needs sleep. He needs to move more than taking a few random laps around his office to keep the circulation moving in his veins, but he can’t do much more than that. Ray opens the windows for him when it’s daylight and it all _hurts_.

Suddenly, there are footsteps pounding outside his door before it opens and someone barges in. It’s not enough for Chanyeol to lift his head, but it’s enough for him to flinch. If he knows the occupants in his house more than anything else he apparently _doesn’t_ know, then it’s probably Minseok who barged in. He’s probably going to manhandle him because Chanyeol isn’t taking care of himself.

“I agreed to your father’s last command to take care of you if you can’t take care of yourself,” Minseok growls, stomping up to him. Chanyeol braces for impact, for the moment Minseok will grab him by the back of the collar and pull him up, and he’s not disappointed when Minseok does just that. It hurts, making everything else ache _worse_ , and Chanyeol whines when Minseok raises him high enough to be eye level with him. He’s never seen his android this angry at him before either, maybe except the time he actually treated him like a service android. “I agreed to _protect_ you if anything wrong happens and how can I even do that when you’re in here wallowing in what humans call self-pity?”

“I’m not wallowing in self-pity,” Chanyeol whines, grunting when Minseok simply tosses him back into his chair. It hurts his back, groaning as he moves to try and be more comfortable, and he winces when he places his foot down to push himself up only for it to be at the wrong angle. “I just don’t know how to react to what’s going on right now,” he mutters, sighing when he finally feels less pain.

“Then you adapt,” Minseok easily says, as if that’s the only answer they ever need in life. When Chanyeol looks to him, Minseok’s eyes are glowing green, scanning him up and down. “Humans were made to adapt to their environments. It’s how you are all supposed to survive in this life. It hasn’t been seen in decades because of the social structures you put upon yourselves and, quite frankly, you are all idiots.”

Wincing at Minseok’s word choice, Chanyeol frowns. He hasn’t been called an idiot before, but he guesses it’s about time. He opens his mouth to say something, anything to help him out, but then Minseok holds up a hand in front of him as if to let him speak first. _Everything_ is new to him now.

“Kyungsoo had requested Ray to check up on you after the weekend ended. He became concerned as had Baekhyun and Jongdae.” Minseok gives him a look then, eyeing him up and down once more. “You will give Mr. Do a call, inform him you are alive and relatively well, cancel all your appointments today, and then shower. Your hygiene needs an upgrade as does your internal organs.” Minseok’s nose scrunches up then, leaning in closer to him until all he has to do is reach out a finger and push Chanyeol back with his finger on his forehead. “If I had exceptional olfactory senses, I can assure you that you smell repulsive right now.”

“Hey!” Chanyeol shouts, scowling, as he sits back up and swats Minseok’s hand away. It’s enough for his android to raise an eyebrow at him, challenging. “I do not smell,” he hisses, trying hard not to sniff himself, “and I have been fairing well.”

“Do not lie to me, Chanyeol,” Minseok retaliates easily, crossing his arms in front of his chest and glaring down at him. “Even Yixing has been doing better than you. He doesn’t even flinch as much around me anymore.”

All the thoughts and pain flying through Chanyeol’s head stops, dropping into the abyss of forgotten ruins in his mind, and he stares up at Minseok with wide eyes. There’s a ball of uncertainty coiling in his stomach, at the thought that Yixing is still in his house, borrowing his clothes, but the anger flowing off of Yixing in waves is what’s holding him back. He keeps trying to do his job because it’s what he knows, what he’s been trained to do, and there was no presence of Yixing in it. “How is he?” he asks quietly, finally looking away from Minseok and to the ground. “Is he making himself comfortable?” Something in his position, in the way he conducts himself, must’ve done something to Minseok, because he sighs, as if in defeat, before his voice softens.

“He is fairing well, truly,” Minseok answers. “He is adapting to your household. He knows where the laundry room is and how to utilize it. He insists on attempting to cook in the kitchen because he hasn’t done so in years. He has also continued to wear your clothes. He may be angry at you, but he insists that no more money should be spent on him or anything else relating to him.”

“That doesn’t even make sense,” Chanyeol mutters, noticing now how clean and soft his carpet looks underneath his feet. It’s supposed to provide comfort in a stressful room, but he doesn’t think he’s ever taken the time to actually appreciate it. “As long as he’s comfortable, I guess.”

“Even so,” Minseok agrees, sighing again, and really, what type of android does that? “You should confront him. See what he’s doing for yourself.”

Chanyeol groans from deep in his throat. “That doesn’t sound even remotely optimal right now.”

“Then you should go to the bathroom and shower. Brush your teeth,” Minseok offers, raising an eyebrow at him again.

“That doesn’t sound pleasant either!” Chanyeol shouts, frustrated. He almost kicks his legs out, but he stops himself before he can even start. “Minseok.”

Minseok scowls. “Don’t ‘Minseok’ me,” he says. “Get your ass out of that chair and into the bathroom. It’s breakfast time. Yixing and I will be waiting in the dining room.”

Without another word, Minseok turns on his heels and leaves. It doesn’t leave much room for argument and Chanyeol feels like he’s ten years old again, being scolded by a robot who acted much more human than anybody on their block expected. Minseok was considered a failure to them, but their entire family approved of him because he’s what Chanyeol and his sister needed when they were young. Minseok also had strict protocols when first manufactured and even now, he still hasn’t gotten over the few commands designed within him.

 

The hot water is soothing on his skin. It washes the stress and fatigue away, leaving his skin feeling tingly and warm, and Chanyeol hums as he lets the pressure of the showerhead massage his own scalp as well. He feels calm, content, letting his thoughts wash away with the dirt and grime now at his feet. He feels mindless.

He doesn’t even know how long he stays in the shower, but it’s enough to leave the tips of his fingers wrinkled and his feet red. His skin tingles with the warmth of the steam when he steps out and the first thing he notices in the fogged up mirror is his wet, silver hair. It’s practically dripping buckets, not bothering with trying to dry it in the shower, and Chanyeol can feel each drop of water fall and hit his shoulders. His bathroom is spacious enough for the mirrors to start clearing within minutes, but Chanyeol simply stands there. He can’t stop staring at himself, the way his chest barely moves with each breath he takes and how gooseflesh erupt on his skin the longer he stands in the cooling air. He needs to put on clothes, brush his teeth and wash his face, but there’s just something different now.

Nobody comes to get him, so he takes his time. He thinks about his reflection, about how _different_ he looks, and it isn’t until he has a towel over his head, attempting to dry his hair, that he realizes why. His eyes look different. When he peeks through his towel to stare at his mirror, he notices his eyes shine brighter than before. There’s more emotion than he’s seen in years.

“What do you know,” he mumbles, tossing his towel in his hamper before leaving his bathroom and bedroom. He’s wearing his casual clothes, a pastel-colored dress shirt and slacks, and doesn’t even bother with tucking it in. There’s no point if he’s not leaving his house.

When he emerges from the hallway, he can hear two voices bickering. Minseok is loud, but Yixing sounds louder and that in itself is strange to hear. Chanyeol can make out the words ‘android’ and ‘human,’ but he swears he can also hear words of ‘can’t taste!’ and ‘sit down!’ He doesn’t know who says what but when he enters the kitchen, he doesn’t expect to see Yixing and Minseok fighting in front of the stove, quite literally. Yixing has Minseok in a headlock with Minseok about to detach his own arm for a makeshift weapon and– oh.

“I’m assuming you’ve won against an android in a fight,” Chanyeol says, instead of “you’re really wearing my clothes again.” He eyes each of them, trying not to linger too long on Yixing and how aggressive he looks despite how soft the clothes are on him, and it’s such a contrast, Chanyeol thinks he needs to lie down.

“Of course,” Yixing growls, before he loosens his grip and pushes Minseok aside. He scowls at him even as Minseok huffs in annoyance. “How else did you think they accepted me into the program?”

“I wouldn’t know,” Chanyeol confesses, too tired to think of anything else. He walks over, flinching when Yixing moves away from him, and looks into one of the pots to see a brown stew brewing. It’s bubbling gently and it smells good. His stomach rumbles without his consent.

Yixing scoffs, but Chanyeol ignores it in favor of walking away to the dining room past the sliding doors. He doesn’t say anything and Chanyeol lets him be as he sits down and immediately starts eating his breakfast. He can only guess that stew is supposed to be for lunch in a few hours.

Silence greets Chanyeol like an old friend and he gets caught up in trying to make his stomach happy that he doesn’t register someone coming in close until he sees a hand breaching his peripheral vision. He acts on instinct, slapping the hand away, and he turns to see Minseok staring down at him surprised. “Chanyeol,” Minseok trails off, sounding uncertain.

“I’m sorry” is Chanyeol’s immediate response, surprising himself. His eyes are wide but he tries to relax after a few seconds, taking in deep breaths to calm his nerves. Minseok’s hand startled him and he isn’t entirely sure why. He hasn’t been startled like that before, especially not by Minseok. “I’m,” Chanyeol sighs, closing his eyes and turning to face his food again. “I’m sorry, Minseok.”

“Well, that’s strange hearing an apology coming from you” comes Yixing’s voice and Chanyeol looks over his shoulder surprised. His–Yixing is standing just inside the entranceway between the dining room and the kitchen, with his arms crossed, and Chanyeol would think Yixing’s been living here his whole life if he didn’t know any better. Yixing looks like one of them, _could_ be one of them, and that thought throws Chanyeol off more than the clothes he’s wearing.

Chanyeol doesn’t know how to respond to that, so he doesn’t. He simply stays quiet, staring at the other man, before he looks to Minseok to gauge his reaction. There is none, unsurprisingly, and Chanyeol sighs in defeat, looking back to Yixing. “What,” he deadpans.

A smirk grows on Yixing’s face, the corner of his lips lifting up the smallest bit. “You look almost normal sitting there,” Yixing comments, before his expression turns serious. “Do we have a fight today?”

“Do you _want_ to have a fight today?” Chanyeol asks, confused. “What do you even mean by ‘almost normal’? Don’t I always look like this?”

At that, Yixing shrugs. “You don’t look as speechless anymore,” he answers, eyeing him as if trying to read his mind, his body gestures. “Humans like you can act as much as an android and not even realize it.” He hums then. “If I have a fight today, I need to prepare.”

There’s more of that word, _prepare_ , and Chanyeol hasn’t been able to understand it since the first time he’s heard it from Kyungsoo. “What does ‘prepare’ even mean?” he asks, exasperated. He can’t even focus on his meal now.

“Working out,” Yixing says easily enough, gaze losing focus as he recalls what he does in EVOLVE. “Limiting my meals but not too much. Stretching.”

“Wait,” Chanyeol says, standing up from his seat to walk over to the other. Yixing doesn’t take a step back. He stays still, eyes burning with an unspoken challenge for Chanyeol to overstep his boundaries, but Chanyeol tries not to touch him when he points to the left side of his face. “Do you still have the chip inside your head?” Without words, Yixing nods. They take a moment to stare at each other, the challenge fading from Yixing’s eyes to give way to confusion, and Chanyeol takes that as his cue to look over his shoulder towards Minseok who’s been staring at them quietly this entire time. “Have you figured out a way to remove this?”

Almost immediately, Yixing takes a step back. He distances himself from both of them and Chanyeol jolts at the sudden movement, looking to him with wide eyes. “No android is getting near my head,” Yixing says, voice quiet but firm. There’s the hint of fear in his eyes and Chanyeol didn’t want to bring that up again. “If he gets near my head, it could end in irreparable damage for me. I still need–” he cuts himself off then, mouth open but words at a loss.

It worries Chanyeol, wondering if the chip somehow moved back into its proper place spontaneously, but then Yixing is looking down at the ground, eyebrows furrowed. “Yixing,” he calls, watching as the other jumps at his voice. “Yixing–”

“Do I still need to fight?” Yixing asks. His voice sounds so small, so quiet, and Chanyeol can’t even begin to understand what goes on in this man’s head. The one thing he can understand though is ‘no, you don’t.’

“You don’t have to fight if you don’t want to,” Chanyeol answers, watching as relief floods Yixing’s worried eyes. He’s so expressive. He wants to see more. “I bought you out to be my fighter,” he continues to say, watching as Yixing’s eyes harden the slightest bit at his words. “I paid extra for your additional medical care within EVOLVE. If you don’t want to fight, all I have to do is cancel all the matches that have been scheduled up until next month.”

“And then what after that?” Yixing asks, tone mocking. “You’re going to make me fight again?”

“No,” Chanyeol answers immediately. Yixing’s eyebrow rises in much the same way Minseok’s did earlier. Why is everyone trying to challenge him today? “Unless you want to fight?” That didn’t come out how he wanted.

There’s a collective pause in the room, where Yixing stares Chanyeol down, and Chanyeol forgets how important he is, how he’s a _Park_. He shouldn’t be withering underneath anyone else’s stare. “Kyungsoo has informed me you didn’t want to participate in EVOLVE’s activities originally,” Yixing quietly says, still trying to gauge his reaction. His gaze alone can pierce Chanyeol, if he was an aggressive android. “He had been trying to convince you for years before you joined this month.”

Nothing else comes after that, but Chanyeol knows there’s more. There’s always more. “Yes,” he says slowly, unsure of what’ll come next.

“Why?”

“Why had he been trying to convince me?” Chanyeol asks. “Or why had I suddenly joined?”

“The latter,” Yixing clarifies, still staring at him.

Chanyeol looks to Minseok then who shakes his head at him. He’d assumed his android would’ve answered if he couldn’t. When he turns back, Yixing is looking between him and Minseok expectantly, waiting for an answer. “EVOLVE has been one of the top companies in today’s world,” Chanyeol says, words coming out almost as if he was a recording. “It became a hit during my parents’ generation and has only grown since in revenue and recognition. Along with my family’s name, it makes sense that each of our respective brands will only intensify and solidify into a worldwide phenomenon for generations to come if we combine expenditure and profit.” The more he speaks, the more he sees Yixing as nothing other than another client. “I joined EVOLVE as a participant to witness firsthand how these games unfold. I sent in my application to experience the process of receiving my choices for players and then choosing one. Eventually, I brought up my project plan to collaborate with EVOLVE for a future endeavor. Currently, along with the CEO, we are developing a contract that will benefit both of us in the end.”

As Chanyeol finishes, he focuses his gaze again. He looks away from Yixing’s forehead to stare into his eyes and he can see the anger and how much he _despises_ him in that one look alone. “All of you treat us like objects,” Yixing says lowly, lips pulling back into a scowl. “Rich people like you think you can do whatever you want, believe you can get _anything_ you want, so it makes sense that you treat others below you like items ready to be thrown to the trash if they don’t perform well.” He scoffs then, fingers twitching at his side before he balls them into fists. “It should’ve been no surprise that company would accept you. With your name alone, you can get into other cities and countries without so much as a bat of an eye. I wonder what I ever did to be chosen by _you_ of all people.” Without pause, he looks to Minseok next. “How many androids have you gone through? If he’s not the latest model, I heard you throw them away to buy the newest one.”

Chanyeol doesn’t see it coming. He sees a flash before Minseok appears before him, pinning Yixing back to the wall with a forearm to his neck. There’s anger coursing through Minseok, Chanyeol can see it in the red glow of his eyes, but what surprises him is Yixing’s own, burning hot. He tosses Minseok off of him like he weighs nothing and Chanyeol has to jump back when they start to fight with their fists.

In all the times Chanyeol has been with Minseok, he’s never seen him act out on his emotions. They’ve always been synthetic, created by a variety of chemicals running through his artificial body to try and keep him close to human as possible, but he’s never seen him this angry either. It’s enough to land a couple punches to Yixing’s face, but then Yixing is retaliating with his own punches and kicks. Without his instruction, Chanyeol can watch Yixing be himself and it’s just as mesmerizing up close as it is in the arena.

Chanyeol doesn’t even know whom to call out. He’s so used to being able to command beings and things to do as he wishes, but it seems so useless now, so wrong. “Hey,” he says, meekly, unsure of whom he’s actually calling out. He should call out his fighter, but he’s technically no longer his fighter if he has his own thoughts and feelings now, if he’s able to act out on his own free will.

There’s another punch and kick, a scream and a grunt, and Chanyeol doesn’t know what he’s doing until he’s rushing in and trying to break them apart. It’s enough to have Minseok pause, to regain his senses, but Yixing doesn’t stop fighting so Chanyeol tries his best to retaliate. He gets punched and kicked, the wind knocked out of him, but he manages to block another kick to his face with his forearm before rearing back and punching Yixing square in the face.

It surprises all of them. Yixing stumbles back until he hits the edge of the sliding door, holding his left cheek, and Chanyeol stills in his spot, arm outstretched and mouth hanging open in shock. Nobody moves except for Yixing as he stands slowly and Chanyeol, for the life of him, can’t move. There’s a clear red spot where he punched Yixing and it’s darkening with each minute that passes. He expects more anger, more frustration, but when Yixing looks at him, there’s something else in there he can’t recognize. It almost looks like he’s proud of him, approving his actions.

“Yixing,” Minseok calls, breaking the silence. He sounds apologetic and worried and, really, Chanyeol thinks in some far part of his mind, he should be. “I will get ice for you,” he pauses, probably scanning his body, “and pain relievers.”

Within minutes, he’s gone. Chanyeol takes the chance to try and straighten himself, no matter how slow he is, but his face twitches when he tries moving his right hand only for pain to shoot up his knuckles. He should probably apologize, ask if he’s moved the transponder in Yixing’s head somewhat, but he can’t even get his brain-to-mouth function to connect with his scattered thoughts. All he can see is Minseok rushing out with the necessary items to treat Yixing and Yixing, simply, taking it.

Yixing is ushered into the nearest chair at the table, where Minseok’s eyes continue to glow and assess him, and Yixing doesn’t even flinch when Minseok reaches out to touch his cheek. His gaze stays focused on him, though, watching his every move, but Yixing doesn’t do anything to hurt his android. There aren’t any words of gratitude as Minseok slowly patches him up, but Chanyeol can see it in his eyes when Minseok looks away to survey the damages on Yixing’s hands.

Moments pass like this, where Chanyeol simply stands off to the side watching them, and he tries not to think about the pain shooting up his hand. Instead, he listens to Minseok talk. He details what he’s going to do to Yixing, about what is going to heal quickly and what isn’t, and Chanyeol can see Yixing relax with every action that goes exactly with how Minseok says.

In fact, Chanyeol doesn’t know how long he stands there. He keeps flexing his hand, closing it into a fist and then spreading out his fingers trying to rid himself of the pain, and he doesn’t realize he’s been watching Minseok and Yixing until Yixing looks over his shoulder and eyes him. It’s brief, a short moment where they make eye contact, and Chanyeol believes he sees something like pride in his eyes, directed towards him.

“If your knees weren’t so bad,” Yixing quietly comments, closing his eye when Minseok murmurs something then touches his cheek again. “You could’ve become a decent fighter with a punch like that.”

Chanyeol gapes at the other, surprised. He curls his hand into a fist again, feeling the ache throb in his knuckles again, keeping him grounded. “I,” he mumbles, watching Yixing continue to eye him. It makes him feel weird, like he’s being analyzed. He wants to leave the room to get rid of this feeling. “Thanks?”

There’s another moment of silence, where Yixing mulls over his answer, and then Chanyeol can see the way the emotions in Yixing’s eyes change. Amusement dances into his eyes and then he’s laughing. It’s light and soft, cute, and it takes both him and Minseok off-guard. They stare at him with wide eyes, as Yixing leans back far enough to clutch at his stomach too, and Chanyeol can’t help but try to dismiss Minseok’s inquisitive gaze towards him. He doesn’t understand what’s going on either.

“I believe Yixing’s emotions are, for lack of a better term, out of control,” Minseok offers, watching with wide eyes as Yixing turns to punch him. “I would say that hurt,” he says slowly, Yixing’s laughter dying down, “but I’m not sure how to comprehend this situation.”

“Neither do I,” Chanyeol says, watching as a small smile lingers on Yixing’s face. He didn’t know he had a dimple on both his cheeks. “Minseok, can you run a simple diagnostic test on his chemical levels without blood?”

Before Minseok can even nod, Yixing is stumbling out of his chair, smile forgotten. The fear and worry make its way back onto his face and Chanyeol mutters a quick “wait” to Minseok. He thought things were getting better between them, but he guesses he was wrong. Yixing is in a defensive stance now, towards Minseok, one Chanyeol recognizes from his fights in the arena, but he doesn’t want to command him to stand down. He can’t even do so without the transponder in place.

It takes a minute, or two, before Chanyeol registers the words in his head. His eyes widen in realization and he stands there, shocked, before looking to Yixing. “I’m sorry,” he immediately says, watching as Yixing whips his head over to him, expression hard. “I’m,” Chanyeol murmurs, trying to read Yixing’s expression, all the emotions hiding underneath. He wants to understand. “Yixing.”

“If you want my trust, my cooperation,” Yixing says lowly, slowly straightening up to stand. “Understand my background.”

Without another word, Yixing turns and leaves. The dining room becomes silent without him in it and Chanyeol looks to Minseok, feeling helpless. “Minseok,” he mumbles, his chest aching and head swimming. He doesn’t know what to do. “What is even going on?”

There must be something in his facial expression, something that pulls a look of sympathy out of Minseok, and Chanyeol swears he’s never felt like this before. He can’t comprehend anything but the hard metal and artificial love pouring out of Minseok when he gives him a hug. “You cannot control him like you do everything else,” Minseok murmurs quietly. Despite the height difference, Chanyeol can still bury his head in Minseok’s soft hair, trying to let the soft thrum of his hardware calm his racing heart. “He is completely human. His emotions are scattered, like his mind, and it will take some time for him to come to terms with it himself.”

“Is it because of the transponder?” Chanyeol asks quietly. He knows it is, but he doesn’t know what he can do about it. “How is that even possible?”

“The transponder works as a signal disrupter,” Minseok explains, pulling away to look Chanyeol in the eyes. It’s hard, to see Minseok in every sense of the word, and to think he’s anything but a human. Chanyeol wishes he were. “From what I could understand, it should not be hard to remove. It was designed to be temporary so with the right equipment, it can easily be removed without extra instruments or complications.”

Chanyeol mulls over the words as he stares at Minseok, trying to figure out what he can do, and he only ends up sighing as he closes his eyes. He should’ve never left his office. “You would need his consent to remove the transponder,” he says, thinking back to his contract with EVOLVE, opening his eyes to look at Minseok. “I would be violating the entirety of my contract for him with EVOLVE.”

At this, Minseok shrugs, the corners of his lips tugging up into a small smile. “Would you rather let him be happy or continue to use him as a fighter for your games?” It’s not meant to be accusatory, to hit Chanyeol where he knows he’s been taught wrong, but it still hurts. He didn’t know, but he should’ve.

“I don’t think I can go back to EVOLVE and make him fight without feeling any type of guilt,” Chanyeol answers, looking out the doorway where Yixing walked off. “I don’t know how Kyungsoo and Baekhyun do it.”

“Because they have trust in each other,” Minseok says, as if it’s simple. Everything he says sounds simple, in theory. “If you stayed with them during the time they were here, even I could tell they have a bond that’s different than most humans I’ve seen nowadays. Baekhyun has told me that Kyungsoo treats him well, in the privacy of his home. He makes sure he eats and sleeps well. He assists Baekhyun in warming and working out for future fights. In return, Baekhyun ensures to keep Kyungsoo’s image as it is. He fights to make sure Kyungsoo only receives the best and he knows Kyungsoo will stop any fight before it becomes too much for him.” He hums then, smiling softly. “According to my database, I believe they feel the emotion ‘love’ for each other. Though, they do not mention it aloud.”

Chanyeol feels his jaw drop, the slightest bit, at that confession. “I didn’t think love like that existed anymore,” he murmurs, thinking to his parents’ love. Their definition of it is simple kisses goodbye and sitting in the same room transferring files and documents to each other through their tablets. When they eat, they barely look at each other, instead focusing on their ventures of the day. He hasn’t seen his parents act kind or thoughtful towards each other in a long time like Minseok described.

Minseok nods, “And with the way you act towards Yixing, you clearly show interest, especially in wanting to help.”

“Of course I want to help,” Chanyeol says, staring down at his android worriedly. “I just don’t know how.”

Minseok shrugs. “Then understand his background.”

 

As it turns out, understanding Yixing’s background is using every spare minute he has to look into the so-called ‘slums’ of the city. He can’t even find it at first, his map only going so far as to see Volure Street at the outer edge of the main city, but when he orders Ray to download a complete map, he can see all the outer streets more clearly than he ever thought was possible. He doesn’t know which street is Yixing’s or if he’s even from anywhere else but Volure Street like Baekhyun, but it shocks him to see concrete streets with barely thriving greenery. He didn’t think plants still survived in the wilderness without an abundance of water and artificial food.

“Sir,” Ray calls, interrupting Chanyeol’s train of thoughts. He looks to the corner of his desk towards the sound visualizer, waiting. “You have an incoming call as well as a meeting in one hour’s time.”

Frowning, Chanyeol looks to the other side of his desk where his calendar lays. “What day is it?” he asks, confused. He doesn’t even recall leaving his chair for any of his meals, if he’s missed any that is.

“It is Friday, sir. Will you accept the incoming call?”

“Oh,” Chanyeol murmurs, straightening and feeling and hearing his back crack at the movement. It releases all the pressure in his joints, making him groan in satisfaction, and he takes a moment to tilt his head side-to-side, massaging his neck and hearing that pop too. “Yes, who is it?”

Within seconds, Kyungsoo’s voice is filtering through the room. He sounds tired, as if he hadn’t gotten enough sleep the night before, which is strange in its entirety. “Chanyeol,” he greets. Almost instinctively, Chanyeol looks to the still images on his desk, where old brick and concrete buildings litter the streets as well as multiple wooden posts, and knows Kyungsoo can’t see what he’s doing right now, all the information he’s been able to possess through his research.

“Kyungsoo,” Chanyeol says in return, as he stands to get the circulation running through his veins again. He winces when he realizes his left foot has gone numb. “How are you?”

“Pleasantries are wonderful and all,” Kyungsoo answers in response, sarcasm dripping from his tone, “but I need to inform you of something.”

Chanyeol frowns at the words, looking to his desk and then his opened doorway. He was pretty sure it was closed the last time he looked but when he takes the chance to look around his office, there is a plate of fresh fruits sitting on his side table. “What is it?” he asks, walking over to grab it and bring it back to his desk. His foot tingles in a painful way as it wakes back up and Chanyeol stomps with that foot harder to try and get blood back into it as quickly as possible. The strawberry is sweet today.

“Minseok won’t inform you personally, but I have been requested to schedule a fight for you. According to the contract, you need to have one fight every week, at least. I have tried to reschedule all possible fights for you until next week, but a contract is a contract.” Kyungsoo sighs then, “Has Yixing recovered fully?”

Chanyeol doesn’t know. He hasn’t left his office since that day in the dining room and he hasn’t heard anything from either Minseok or Yixing. He’s been too focused on researching Yixing’s background, he hasn’t even had time to figure out what’s going on outside. “I don’t know,” he answers truthfully, walking around his desk and to the opened doorway to peek outside it. He can’t hear Yixing but he can hear the faint sound of the vacuum as Minseok cleans the living room again. He frowns, wondering why Minseok wouldn’t have told him Kyungsoo has been trying to contact him. “I assume he has.” Chanyeol has. His hand feels much better now.

“Have you not been communicating with him?” Kyungsoo asks, surprised. “What have you been doing all this time if you canceled all your fights for this week?”

Quickly, Chanyeol turns and closes his office door before making it back to his desk. He reaches over to swipe away everything on his desktop before locking it and securing the call. “I haven’t been leaving my office,” he confesses, once he’s sure his end of the call is safe. He hears Kyungsoo impatiently hum at him. “I’ve been busy searching for Yixing’s home street.”

“And why on earth would you be doing that?” Kyungsoo asks, sounding surprised yet knowing of the answer all at once. “Do you even know where Yixing is from?”

“No,” Chanyeol murmurs, slowly becoming frustrated with himself. He’s spent so much time looking into the so-called ‘slums’ of the city and he doesn’t even know where to focus all his attention. He didn’t even know there were this many additional streets to the city he lives in. “I don’t even know how to ask after everything that’s happened.”

Kyungsoo sighs softly, “And what has happened, Chanyeol?” It sounds condescending, aggravating, and Chanyeol frowns, instincts coming back full force.

“You have no right,” he warns, voice low. “Kyungsoo–”

“You also have no right to be talking like this to someone on the panel of EVOLVE,” Kyungsoo easily retaliates, making Chanyeol shut his mouth. “If your issues involve one of our registered fighters, then you must also abide by our rules. I informed you of this prior to your agreement of the contract.” His voice softens then, considerably quiet than seconds before. “What happened between you and Yixing?”

Chanyeol remains quiet at the question. He stills, frozen by Kyungsoo’s words, and he realizes he’s right. He signed a contract with EVOLVE and he remembers Kyungsoo detailing him all the specifics of it. He didn’t think much of it then, but he also didn’t think he’d be as involved with Yixing as he did originally.

There’s a moment where silence passes between them. Kyungsoo waits for an answer Chanyeol doesn’t necessarily want to give, and he supposes his friend understands his decision when he sighs a minute later. “Whatever happened between you and Yixing, you need to know communication is important. To find out the specifics of his previous living situation, just ask him. That’s what happened between Baekhyun and me,” he hums then, thoughtful. “If you want some words of advice from another human, connect with Yixing on a level both of you can reach and understand. There aren’t very many people who can do that, but there must be a reason your match rate was so high.”

“Yes,” Chanyeol groans, already frustrated. He feels like he’s going in circles. “But _how?_ ”

“Just talk to him like a normal human being,” Kyungsoo hisses, before he sighs. “Ask him about his past, present, and future. Ask him what he would like for breakfast in the morning. Ask him about his strategies for fighting. Ask him anything about _him_ and you should be fine.”

“ _And show loyalty_ ,” someone says in the background, before Kyungsoo is quickly shushing him. If anything, it was probably Baekhyun. It sounds like him anyways.

“And show loyalty,” Kyungsoo echoes, groaning, after Chanyeol hears a dull _thud_. “Loyalty is important to them. On the streets, that’s how they know they are cared for and protected.”

Chanyeol listens to their words carefully, mentally taking notes, and he frowns when he hears more murmurs over the line. It’s incomprehensible, even with his desk’s enhanced features, and he sighs when he hears Kyungsoo say something along the lines of “get ready.”

“Anyways,” Kyungsoo says, focusing back on him. “The reason for this call is to inform you of your scheduled fight at nineteen o’clock tonight. Your opponent has an impressive streak, but I believe you and Yixing will win anyways. They go with the same strategy every time, so it shouldn’t be hard for you to see that.” There’s a pause then. “I only assume Yixing is fully recovered by now. I also assume Minseok has good reason for not informing you of my calls. I tried my best, Chanyeol, but you have to appear tonight to keep the contract valid and keep Yixing under your name.”

There isn’t much else Chanyeol can say. He simply accepts it because he knows the importance of contracts and what they symbolize. “Understood,” he says quietly, before he ends the call. He stares at his desk, at how empty it looks without all his files scattered about it. Even if this is how his desk appears at the end of a long day, it feels weird, different now.

Thinking about it though, he doesn’t know why Minseok never told him about Kyungsoo’s call. He usually does, especially if it’s something as important as this. If he doesn’t, then that’s a whole other issue altogether. In fact, he doesn’t know why Minseok initiated the fight with Yixing the other day. He thought androids weren’t programmed to be volatile to humans unless specifically manufactured to do so. Chanyeol sighs, already feeling exceptionally tired for the day, but he still needs to show up for the fight tonight. He needs to bring Yixing with him.

Finally leaving his office, Chanyeol brings the empty plate with him to the kitchen. He doesn’t see Yixing or Minseok on the way there but on the way back through the living room, he sees Minseok sitting with his back straight against the side of the wall. His eyes are closed and he seems to be recharging, his chest glowing a faint, pulsating red. Well, he won’t be active for another three hours.

“Wonderful,” Chanyeol murmurs, needing to leave a note for him later. He searches the rest of the rooms, seeing Yixing’s door open before but no one in it, and he makes it to the second floor where one of his spare rooms is actually open. It’s his second office, where there are actual written texts lining the walls on shelves along with tablets and another secured desk, and he finds Yixing standing in front of it.

There are soft clicking noises to go along with the taps of his fingers and Chanyeol takes the moment to simply watch him. Yixing looks curious, leaning over slightly to read whatever’s on the screen, but then he taps something else and Ray is speaking instead, “Hello, sir. I do not recognize your fingerprint. Please register yourself so I may help serve you better.” Yixing jolts, clearly surprised, and he reaches over to press the same spot again only for Ray to continue speaking. “Hello, sir. If I may allow, my name is Ray. I am personalized to be Chanyeol Park’s assistant. Please register yourself so I may help serve you better.”

“Ray,” Chanyeol calls out, smiling when Yixing jumps again in surprise. He’s looking at him now, eyes wide, and Chanyeol takes that as the chance to walk into the room to the other side of the desk so Yixing still has his personal space. “If you can register Yixing Zhang’s fingerprint from that alone, please do so.”

“Yes, sir,” Ray answers instantly, and Chanyeol watches as Yixing looks back down to the desk to see Ray work. There are files that pop up and images of fingerprint samples. Blue, dashed boxes appear around the areas Yixing had previously touched and within no time, his set of available fingerprints has been registered. “It is completed now for Yixing Zhang, sir.”

Chanyeol hums, looking back to the sound visualizer on his desk, “Thank you.”

“Always a pleasure, sir.”

The visualizer line flattens, signifying Ray’s leave, and it causes the room to fall into silence. It hangs around them awkwardly, Chanyeol trying his best not to fidget with the sudden quietness, but when he looks up, Yixing doesn’t even look the least bit awkward. In fact, Yixing isn’t staring at anything else other than him but even then, Chanyeol can’t figure out the expression hidden in his gaze. Its carefully guarded, like Yixing is trying to gauge his actions and reactions, and Chanyeol can’t help but tilt his head up higher, trying to meet Yixing halfway.

No words come out.

Chanyeol’s speechless, watching as Yixing tilts his head the slightest bit, and he swears the other is trying to challenge him. He wants him to break but as good as Yixing is at analyzing other people, Chanyeol is just as good, if not better. “Kyungsoo has contacted and informed me we must attend a fight that is scheduled at nineteen o’clock tonight,” he says, gauging Yixing’s reaction. The other is careful, keeping his expression guarded, but Chanyeol feels a shift in the air around them. Nothing else is said, so Chanyeol continues. “He has informed me that I should communicate with you more, as well.” At this, Yixing straightens, still staring at him.

“What of your own thoughts and actions?” Yixing asks, voice calm and steady. “You are one of the infamous Parks. Surely, you are allowed to think and act for yourself.”

Chanyeol takes it in stride, drumming his fingers along the edge of his desk once, before letting them rest there. “I wish to know where you lived,” he answers, wondering if he can even lie to the man in front of him. Somehow, it feels wrong if he did.

Yixing’s eyebrow raises again, the left one, curious. “Isn’t that a bit off-topic,” he comments, though he doesn’t say anything else.

“It’s one of the facts I wish to know,” Chanyeol says in response, before he looks down to his desk. He contemplates on his future actions for a minute, or two, before he reaches out and taps the top of it twice with his knuckles. Immediately, his desk screen comes to life and Chanyeol presses a few buttons and codes before he brings up the information that’s been locked away in his own desk downstairs. They’re all files and images of the city’s outer sectors and he doesn’t hesitate to swipe it over to Yixing’s side of the table.

One by one, all the footage and documents appear in front of the other man. Yixing hesitates in looking down but when he does, he can’t look back up. He’s stuck reading all the articles and files presented in front of him and before he knows it, he’s reaching out to enlarge and minimize all the images in view.

“I have been researching the outer sectors,” Chanyeol explains, watching as Yixing leans over to see everything on the desk closer. “I have also been researching the evolution of EVOLVE and how it became legal to use humans like they do. I assumed it was all consensual, considering how it started out with teenagers playing virtual reality games, but along the way, it became compromised along with the government factions.”

There’s a moment when the map appears. It overshadows everything else and Chanyeol can see the way Yixing hesitates in moving it around to see certain streets. “These images have not been updated in ten years, due to monetary costs, and for that, I apologize. However, this map should be up to date since within the year. It confuses me, though,” he confesses, watching as Yixing turns the map to a particular street and widens the view. “There is nobody in any of these pictures. It’s like nobody lives there anymore.”

“That’s because we made sure to keep out of your eyes,” Yixing answers solemnly, quietly. He’s entranced by the images and Chanyeol is starting to understand why. “You kept us out of the main city, where life supposedly thrived and was deemed the best there ever was, so we kept out of your sight. We ensured we wouldn’t be seen when your robotic technology came through and surveyed the area.” He falls silent then, pulling himself through the map to see the various streets it has to offer.

Without knowing, Chanyeol frowns. He feels his heart pound, as he stares at the man in front of him, because someone with his skills– _his attitude_ –would’ve been able to survive wonderfully in the main city. Yixing fights for his right and that’s rare, nowadays. “I do not know where you lived, though,” he mentions again, wanting to look away when Yixing glances up at him. He doesn’t though. “I wished to see your living area’s current condition. I wished to see how it’s been fairing, along with the other streets.”

Yixing doesn’t glance back up at that. Instead, he keeps his eyes focused as he tours through the streets of his home. “My home should be doing fine without your meddling,” he murmurs, still swiping his fingers across the screen. “We had been doing fine without your involvement. It doesn’t matter, now, if you do become involved.”

Minutes pass like this, where Yixing continues swiping through all the free information he has, and Chanyeol simply stands there watching him. The room has fallen silent, not even the sound of the desktop breaking through it, and Chanyeol can hear Kyungsoo and Baekhyun’s words echoing in his head. Loyalty is important to Yixing, to Baekhyun, and Chanyeol is slowly starting to understand. They’re not willing to give up anything about themselves from the past.

“I will continue searching,” Chanyeol eventually says, surprised to hear Yixing hum shortly at him in response. “I wish to understand your background.”

At that, Yixing’s head snaps up. His eyes widen and his mouth falls open into a soft gape. He’s clearly surprised and Chanyeol supposes he should be.

“To earn your trust and cooperation,” Chanyeol repeats from earlier, “I should understand your background.”

“And you’re taking it literally?” Yixing questions back. His expression softens then, back into its naturally state, yet Chanyeol still can’t understand the strange emotion in his eyes.

And then the words register in Chanyeol’s head, before he stares at Yixing, confused. “Am I not supposed to?” He assumed background meant where he came from and any monetary status he had.

“Well,” Yixing says, frowning. “This is part of it. But you clearly have no idea how to communicate with humans, right?”

Chanyeol thinks to his estranged parents, his sister he barely talks to anymore, and Kyungsoo he recently came in contact with again. They’re the closest he’s ever had to having decent conversations with a human, so he shakes his head. “Despite Minseok being an android, he’s the closest I have to having any sort of close relation to a human.”

Yixing frowns harder at him, “You know that doesn’t make sense.”

Chanyeol can’t help it. He groans, “I know.” He stares at Yixing, knowing he’s judging him when he has no right– “ugh,” he groans again, looking away when Yixing raises an eyebrow at him inquisitively, again. “It’s nothing,” Chanyeol answers, waving it away out of instinct. “Minseok was my constant while growing up, until I reunited with Kyungsoo at EVOLVE.”

Silence greets him, then. After a few minutes, Chanyeol looks over to see if Yixing is even still there. He is, and his expression hasn’t changed one bit. “As an android,” he says slowly, trying to keep his lips from forming a scowl. It slips, every few seconds. “He should not be able to have emotions, of any kind.” He reaches for his abdomen then, gently laying a hand on the upper part of it near his stomach. “He became angry the day he attacked me. I have seen he cares for you as well. Why?”

It’s unexpected, but Chanyeol shrugs. “My parents made sure Minseok was a top-of-the-line android with a fully functioning and adaptable program. He is able to learn emotions and emulate them as well as familiarize himself with many human-based objects and topics.”

“Such as cooking, though he has no taste buds,” Yixing says softly, to which Chanyeol nods. They fall into another moment of silence then, but this one seems more comfortable, relaxing. Chanyeol watches Yixing think, his eyebrows furrowing the littlest bit together in concentration, and even like this, Yixing’s dimple is still present on one cheek.

“This is not the opportune time to ask,” Chanyeol warns, watching as Yixing flicks his gaze up to look at him again. “But I need to ask.” He stops there, waiting for some type of response.

“Go on,” Yixing says slowly, eyeing him.

Chanyeol braces himself for impact. “Do you wish to fight tonight?” He can see the way Yixing’s curiosity forms into outrage before settling into an eerie calm.

“To fulfill your contract, I must.”

“But what do you _want_?” Chanyeol asserts. It makes Yixing hesitate, the calm breaking for a second before forming again.

“To remain conscious.”

The words are spoken so quietly but it isn’t mumbled or murmured. It’s clear as the sun shining through the windows and Chanyeol’s heart aches for Yixing. “Then let’s try to remove the transponder,” he says without thinking.

“What?” Yixing mumbles, eyes wide.

For some reason, Chanyeol’s heart is racing, but he doesn’t want to take back his words. “Remove it,” he repeats, trying his best to give the other a small smile, one that’s reassuring, because he wants Yixing to have free thought and actions. “We need Minseok to remove it, but he’s currently resting.”

Yixing nods. It’s almost imperceptible. “I noticed,” he murmurs. He looks a little lost, going back to staring at the desk again, and Chanyeol can’t help but frown.

“Yixing,” he calls, watching as Yixing looks up to face him. “What’s wrong?”

Immediately, Yixing shakes his head, but then he speaks, moments later, “How will I continue to fight then?”

The question shocks Chanyeol. “What?” he asks, watching as Yixing turns to look at him again. “I thought you didn’t want to fight.”

“I don’t,” Yixing confirms, typing the word EVOLVE in the desk before bringing up one of the recent articles with him and Chanyeol in it. He tries swiping it towards Chanyeol’s side of the table but it barely makes it. Instead, Chanyeol reaches out to bring it closer to him. “But reputations need to be upheld. Contracts need to be fulfilled. I am not able to fight without your guidance and your critical eye.”

Chanyeol raises his own eyebrow at the words, feeling amused all of a sudden. “Did you compliment me?” It makes him happy seeing Yixing’s eyes widen in shock before he relaxes again, even glaring at him.

“I merely stated the facts,” Yixing says, tapping his own fingers against the edge of the desk. “According to these articles, I’m apparently one of the best fighters within EVOLVE. Of course, I would need someone adequate to ensure I keep my ranking.”

The more Yixing talks, the more amused Chanyeol gets. This Yixing seems real, more in-tune to himself than any time before, and he wants to keep it this way. “I would think I would need someone adequate to match my status and intelligence,” he retorts, wanting to laugh when Yixing scowls at him.

“Status isn’t everything in this world.”

“It isn’t,” Chanyeol agrees quietly, watching as the scowl fades from Yixing’s face to leave behind a neutral expression. “Not now.”

 

Staring at Minseok isn’t anything new. Staring at Minseok one foot away is and Chanyeol can’t stop until his android finally blinks his eyes open. When they focus, Chanyeol can see Minseok’s pupils dilating before constricting. Another blink and Minseok smacks him on the head.

“Ow!” Chanyeol yelps, falling back to sit on the floor and rub his head. A sharp, stinging pain courses through his body at the impact and he ignores the soft laughter he hears in the background somewhere behind him. His pants are getting wrinkled from sitting on the floor in this position, but it’s actually comfortable, frowning as he stares at his android who’s blinking in his current surroundings. “Minseok, I have a request,” he mutters, watching as his android turns back to face him.

“Yes, sir.”

“I request you remove the transponder within Yixing’s head.”

There’s a moment where Minseok processes his words, staring at him before staring at Yixing over his shoulder, and he can see the way Minseok assesses the other. It feels like it takes forever, but it’s only because Minseok is just waking up again, fully charged now. “I must warn you, Chanyeol,” he says, before looking to him, “I cannot tell if the transponder has a trigger attached. If it’s removed and there is a trigger mechanism, those at EVOLVE will know immediately.”

Chanyeol didn’t think about that. He had been too engrossed in watching Yixing walk around his house, entering and perusing his kitchen like he’s been there for years, and sitting on the couch when Yixing told him he felt uncomfortable with Chanyeol’s constant presence right next to him. He had only told him he wanted to see what he had been missing and, apparently, it had been a lot. Chanyeol likes having another person in the house with him, who actually knows how to work half of the appliances in the house without breaking it.

Looking over his shoulder, he stares at Yixing in the middle of his workout. Yixing had been practicing his punches, his target being thin air, but he stops when he hears the silence in the room. There’s a thin sheen of sweat already coating his body and Chanyeol knows Yixing hasn’t been at his peak for a while now. It’s evident in his harsh breathing so early in his warm-up. He doesn’t say anything, but he’s staring back at him with curiosity in his eyes.

“If the technology is involved with EVOLVE,” Chanyeol murmurs quietly, trying to think of all the possibilities that could happen with removing the transponder. It could permanently damage Yixing’s brain and personality. It could damage his movements. It could also not change a thing and simply be an accessory they didn’t need to worry about. “Then it must have a trigger of some sort if it isn’t removed by one of their own specialists.”

At his words, Yixing’s expression turns solemn. He only stares at them a bit more before he resumes his warm-up. “As long as I have my freedom,” he grunts out, putting more power into one of his punches. “I still request it to be removed.” He stops then, looking over to him.

“And it’ll get removed,” Chanyeol reassures, before he’s looking back to Minseok. His android is staring at him, evidently confused, and he guesses his actions and words warrant it, especially with his ease in speaking to Yixing now. But when he opens his mouth to speak again, Minseok cuts him off.

“I will not remove it at this moment.”

It catches Chanyeol off-guard, Yixing too by the way the entire room falls silent, and Chanyeol stares at his android shocked. “What?” he asks, watching as Minseok’s eyes start to glow a faint green, analyzing him and then Yixing over his shoulder. Minseok has never refused an order from him.

“I will not remove it at this moment, sir,” Minseok repeats, eyeing Yixing. “He is almost in peak condition. I assume Kyungsoo has personally called you.”

Chanyeol is flabbergasted. He doesn’t know what to do. “Minseok,” he says, earning his android’s attention again. He eyes him, trying to read any expression within Minseok’s face, but it’s hard when he’s a robot and they’re programmed to supposedly have as little to no emotions as possible. “I order you to remove the transponder within Yixing’s head.”

There’s a change of expression then, where Minseok’s eyes harden at him, before he looks away. “I’m afraid I cannot, sir,” he answers. He stays seated, refusing to meet his gaze, and Chanyeol can’t understand why.

“And why not?”

Behind them, Yixing has gone eerily silent. Chanyeol can’t hear any of his movements but he doesn’t want to turn away from Minseok. He needs to know what’s going on in his head, what his thought process is evolving into.

“If you are participating in a fight tonight, you need to keep your connection with Yixing.”

Chanyeol frowns at that, finally looking over his shoulder to see Yixing frowning as well. He thought they could use earpieces during the fight instead, allowing for easy removal when it finishes. “Yixing is fully capable,” he says in return, looking back to his android. “He does not need my immediate instruction during any fight.”

At that, Yixing snorts but stays silent.

“I cannot allow it,” Minseok reiterates before he’s standing and looking down at Chanyeol. It’s strange, how small he feels under his android’s presence, his stare. “I apologize, Chanyeol.”

With that, Minseok leaves the living room. He goes into the kitchen and before he knows it, Chanyeol can hear the clinking of pots and pans, the refrigerator doors opening and closing afterwards. He continues to sit there, confused, and he doesn’t move even as he hears Yixing moving around behind him. Minseok has never done this before, always obeying his commands without a single thought, and Chanyeol simply can’t wrap his head around it. He doesn’t even know how long he sits there, staring at the charging pad attached to the wall, and it feels like he just broke his friendship. It feels like he broke Minseok and he doesn’t know how to fix it.

Looking over his shoulder, he stares at the entrance to the kitchen. There are still sounds echoing within it, signifying Minseok’s presence, but then he looks over a few centimeters over to see Yixing sitting on his couch. His feet are spread to allow him to lean over and put his elbows on top of his knees and he appears to be deep in thought. The sweat that had started to form on his body is starting to disappear and Chanyeol jolts when Yixing looks up and catches his gaze.

“I wish to have my freedom,” Yixing reiterates, voice low and quiet. He doesn’t move from his spot but he does brush his hair away from his forehead. He’s distractingly handsome. “I wish to have it any way I can.”

“And I want to give it to you,” Chanyeol says without thought. It takes a moment, where Chanyeol wonders why Yixing is looking at him surprised, but then the words catch up to him in his mind and he hastily stands up, making Yixing flinch at the sudden movement, “Ah.” Chanyeol doesn’t know how to backtrack, but does it matter anyways? He thinks it does. “We have a mutually beneficial contract,” he starts off, wincing internally with his word choices. “To be at your best, I assume I should help you get there to keep it… valid.”

It’s embarrassing, seeing Yixing’s expression turn into one of amusement, though he doesn’t smile or move from his position. “Well,” Yixing says, relaxing even more, the hard lines of his face softening. “Then I must admit I appreciate your effort.” He takes a moment, pausing, before he stands as well, nodding in the direction of the kitchen. “To see your android refuse you isn’t unusual. I have seen many androids refuse the commands of humans. I have seen many androids attack humans like yours did to me the other day.”

Chanyeol frowns in response, not knowing where Yixing is going with this. He hasn’t seen any androids act out of line with humans except the time Minseok attacked Yixing and the moment he refused his command. That’s unnatural. It goes against all androids’ protocols.

“The only difference I have seen is the way your android acts with care towards you,” Yixing continues. He stretches his arms and fingers, trying to loosen all his muscles that are starting to tighten up with how cool it is in the living room. “Your android truly toes the line between being human and robotic. It is confusing, to say the least, but honestly refreshing to see. He is loyal to you.”

Suddenly, Chanyeol remembers Kyungsoo’s words to him. Loyalty is important to Yixing and Baekhyun. It should be no surprise that’s one of the aspects Yixing can see in his own android.

Yixing jumps up and down a couple of times before stopping, tilting his head slightly to the side to eye Chanyeol. “If your android will not remove the transponder, then I request that I remain conscious during this fight.”

“Of course,” Chanyeol easily agrees, eyebrows furrowed, confused. “I need you to realize, though, that you might become rather… lost, if the transponder moves back into position.”

At this, Yixing nods, “I know,” before he stretches his neck out next. He closes his eyes when he does so and Chanyeol remembers Yixing being choked, the wind knocked out of him until he could’ve died. “But if it comes to that, if my opponent knocks the transponder back into place, I want you to remove it. I want you to convince Minseok to remove it from my head, so I can be conscious again.”

Chanyeol feels his heart swell at the words, at the way Yixing opens his eyes to stare at him with an emotion he can’t understand. It looks similar to the way Kyungsoo looks at Baekhyun sometimes, but he knows it’s nothing close to love. There’s no way they could even be close to an emotion like that. “Of course,” Chanyeol murmurs, watching as relief floods Yixing’s eyes. “I will try my best.” He bites the inside of his cheek then, shifting his weight to one foot. “You’re technically my property,” he reminds the fighter, watching as Yixing scowls at it. “As long as you’re under my name, I will do my best to protect you as well. Nobody ever tries to interfere with any business related to my name, so I will ensure this stays the same, even during this venture.”

There’s a moment of silence where Yixing continues to stare at Chanyeol, and then he shakes his head, a small fond smile appearing on his lips. “It’s always a push and pull with you,” he mumbles, turning to walk away. “I may become happy that you became my so-called ‘owner.’” He leaves before he says anything else and Chanyeol can’t stop the warm feeling spreading from his chest to the rest of his body. It leaves him trying to bite back his own smile, chuckling as he shakes his head.

He doesn’t get to talk to Minseok before they leave, but he knows he heard a soft, “Good luck,” before he closed the door behind them.

 

An air of ease surrounds them. Chanyeol isn’t sure what it is, but he becomes more aware of Yixing’s presence next to him. He doesn’t have to look over every few minutes to catch a glimpse of him and he doesn’t have to make sure that others staring at them won’t provide comments for them to ignore. It’s different yet pleasant and Chanyeol waits to take the time to stare at Yixing until they’re entering EVOLVE and the fighter slows his pace until he’s clearly walking behind him, unlike in the streets where it was a staggered position.

“Good evening, Mr. Park,” the receptionist android greets.

Chanyeol barely spares it a glance as he walks past it and into the hallway leading to the arenas. At this time, the participants’ lobby should be relatively empty and, with an hour to spare, Chanyeol can take the moment to recollect himself, try and think of ways to ensure Yixing’s safety for this fight. Though, he doesn’t know if he should be worried or not. Yixing is a great fighter on his own. He doesn’t really need him when it comes down to it. His own natural instincts will save him.

Yixing follows along, slightly behind him. He doesn’t make a sound and doesn’t look anywhere other than the path in front of them. His expression is neutral and his head is high when Chanyeol turns to look back at him and he wants to commend the fighter for his act. There isn’t a reason to cause raise for suspicion with the way he’s controlling himself.

When they make it to the specific lobby, Chanyeol easily takes his spot in the back. He stands there, before the chair for a few seconds, before turning to sit in it. He refuses to look at Yixing, to stare at him curiously wondering if he wanted the chair instead of him, but that would make their actions strange. The androids in the room would be recording everything and, to the panel, Chanyeol can appear compromised in his decisions and ranking to others around him.

In front of them, a fight is playing out on the screen. Of course, it’s Kyungsoo and Baekhyun against Seungwan and her fighter. It’s interesting to see how they each fight and Chanyeol eyes the way Baekhyun moves. Their fight turned into a draw and according to the reporters, that hasn’t happened in a long time in this industry. Chanyeol is making another new name for himself with Yixing’s aide and he’s starting to wish it didn’t turn into this, with ‘Chanyeol and His Fighter’s Upcoming Reign.’

“Would you like some refreshments, Mr. Park?” a service android asks, coming up to him with a tray in hand. Chanyeol really doesn’t, but he takes one anyways and a glass of water. The android leaves quickly after that, to the only other pair in the room, and Chanyeol takes a quick glance up at Yixing to see him focused on the fight in front of them. Without saying anything, Chanyeol eats the snack and drinking from his glass, assuming Yixing is plenty full after all the cooking Minseok has done for each of them.

The fight continues on for another ten minutes before Kyungsoo is declared the victor. Baekhyun leaves the room after Kyungsoo murmurs a soft, “Baekhyun, return,” and then the view pans out. There is another fifteen minutes left before Chanyeol has to be in his place, but he supposes they could arrive early to prepare.

Without another thought, Chanyeol stands from his seat. He hands his empty glass to one of the service androids before walking towards the hallway leading to the arenas. He barely hears Yixing’s quiet footsteps behind him, but he knows he’s still following him when he turns a corner and sees Kyungsoo walking down the hall towards them. Baekhyun is trailing behind him and his injuries don’t look as bad as the screen made it appear.

“You’re here,” Kyungsoo murmurs, breathing out a sigh of relief. Chanyeol nods in return, meeting them halfway before stopping. “I honestly thought you wouldn’t make it,” he confesses before looking to Yixing. “Yixing looks much better.”

Chanyeol hums, for lack of a response. He looks over his shoulder towards Yixing, where he’s continuing to keep up his act, and Chanyeol refrains from smiling when he catches Yixing glance in his direction. “He is,” he eventually answers, turning back to Kyungsoo, only to see his curious stare towards them. Even Baekhyun looks mildly amused, now that Chanyeol knows what to look for in his eyes. “Inform me of our opponent. Which slot should we enter?”

Kyungsoo laughs at that, incredulous. “I am not allowed to disclose others’ styles of fighting. All you need to know are their names and that’s it, which are Sam and Shula, by the way.” He tilts his head back towards the entranceways. “You will be in Arena One Slot One.”

Hearing their location, Chanyeol nods, looking to Yixing next. No words need to be said but Chanyeol doesn’t even know what to say to the fighter anyways. Thankfully though, Yixing moves of his own accord. He spares a second glance at him, enough for them to make eye contact, and then Yixing is making his way towards their designated location. Chanyeol watches him leave, eyeing the way he moves to ensure he appears in peak condition, and he doesn’t know he stares at him long enough for Kyungsoo to laugh softly again.

“I look forward to your fight,” Kyungsoo comments, even though Chanyeol knows he wants to say more. “I’m glad everything is working out.”

Kyungsoo leaves after that, flashing him another small smile, and Chanyeol wonders how in the world Baekhyun can show as many expressions as he can within the facility without being caught. He thought it was against the rules, a show of a fighter malfunctioning, but maybe Kyungsoo is protecting him too.

Chanyeol watches as they walk off, before he turns to get in position. He doesn’t waste time arriving to the first spectator box and he wonders if Yixing can even hear him when he puts in his designated earpiece and says, “Yixing, are you ready?”

There’s no response–Chanyeol didn’t really expect one in the first place–but then he sees their opponent walk into the arena five minutes early. He doesn’t recognize her, or her owner, and Chanyeol frowns as he tries speaking into his receiver again. “Yixing, enter.” He waits with bated breath, eyeing the area his fighter is supposed to walk through, and he breathes a sigh of relief when he sees Yixing enter the arena.

Everything appears as it did when he first fought with him and he watches the timer count down before Yixing attacks without his command. It goes on like that, as Chanyeol simply takes a seat back and watches Yixing fight, and he notices the way Yixing tries to avoid every possible hit to his head. He wants to tell Yixing he’s doing great, wonderful even, but he can’t without his words possibly being recorded by EVOLVE.

In what feels like no time at all, Yixing wins with a bruised up lower body and left arm. This fighter liked to make use of her legs, constantly kicking and spinning around the room, and Chanyeol feels like he can breathe easier when Yixing knocks her unconscious with a punch to the head. After that, Yixing backs away, Chanyeol murmuring a soft “Yixing, return.”

From his point of view, Chanyeol can’t tell if the transponder had moved back to its original spot in Yixing’s head or not. He flicks his gaze up to the owner opposite of him and all he can see is a scowl on the other man’s face. Chanyeol should offer a gesture of condolences, or something, but he doesn’t. He simply looks back down to Yixing and watches as the fighter turns and leaves the room. Chanyeol follows his lead, fully intending to follow after him, as his name is announced as the winner for the match.

 

When he meets up with Yixing, there is another medical android approaching him as well. Chanyeol acts out of instinct, calling out, “He does not need any medical attention.” He watches as the android turns to him and pauses for a few seconds, before it turns and leaves the area. Chanyeol can see Yixing sigh softly and he makes sure to walk up close enough to evaluate the damage for himself.

Nothing looks terrible. All his wounds appear as if he was involved in a minor fight instead and Chanyeol nods his approval before looking into Yixing’s eyes. He looks tired but conscious and Chanyeol tries to spare him a smile before subtly jerking his head in the direction of the exit. He wants to say “let’s go home,” but he figures his gestures are enough when Yixing nods at him in return.

The walk home is as quiet as it was on the way to EVOLVE. There are people and androids walking the streets, but nobody spares them a second glance at this time of night. It brings Chanyeol relief, not having to worry about anyone staring at them and wondering about their absence from the fights, but then he notices an android staring at them in passing. It’s unnerving, seeing its eyes glowing faint green, because Chanyeol has no idea what it’s trying to process.

“Chanyeol,” Yixing suddenly murmurs, voice incredibly soft. They turn a corner then, closer to Chanyeol’s house, and he finally feels safe enough to look away when he loses sight of the other android.

The street leading to his house is quiet. The sky is dark but the lights of the nearest business buildings are still bright. It casts shadows all over them and it might make Yixing’s expressions more severe than they need to be. He looks exhausted when Chanyeol turns to face him. He wants to reach out to help him somehow, but he doesn’t. He’s not sure if it’s okay. “Sorry,” he eventually mumbles, leading him to his house and tapping in the code and performing the extra security measures to enter it.

Once they’re inside, the scent of something delicious hits them in the face. It distracts Chanyeol from removing his shoes, sniffing the air once more, but then he hears Yixing stumble and he quickly averts his attention to him, arms reaching out to stabilize the fighter. “Hey,” he says quietly, using more energy than anticipated to keep Yixing upright. He frowns at how weak his fighter suddenly becomes. “Yixing.”

“I don’t feel good,” Yixing quietly says, even as he struggles to get out of Chanyeol’s grasp. His eyelids are drooping but he’s frowning, a determined set to his brow. “I just need to go lie down.”

Slowly, Yixing’s weight becomes heavier in his arms. It’s difficult to hold him up and Chanyeol doesn’t know what’s going on. His heart is starting to race and he tries to maneuver Yixing into a more comfortable position against him. “Minseok,” he calls, starting to panic when Yixing groans into his shoulder. “Minseok!”

“What is it, Chanyeol?” Minseok asks, already sounding exasperated. But when he exits the kitchen, wearing an old apron, his expression turns into one of shock before he rushes over to help Chanyeol keep Yixing up. “What happened? I thought you were going to win your fight.”

“We did win!” Chanyeol shouts, wincing at the volume of his own voice. He quiets after that, gesturing for Minseok to shift Yixing until Chanyeol can pick him up on his back. “We won, but I don’t know what’s going on. He just started becoming… tired.”

Silence falls between them as Chanyeol grunts while lifting Yixing up. He’s heavier than he appears but it doesn’t take much effort to bring Yixing to his bedroom. Gently, Chanyeol lays him down, allowing Minseok to help place him on the bed where he can analyze him, and he waits. He watches as Minseok lifts up Yixing’s shirt before lifting up his pant legs the best he can. His eyes glow a faint green as he properly scans him.

Minutes pass and Chanyeol tries to wait as best as he can. He feels impatient, foot tapping unconsciously, and he jerks when Minseok finally speaks up. “Yixing has mild internal bleeding,” he murmurs, concentrating on his task. “From what I can see, it’s in his abdomen. It isn’t anything serious but he may need extra time to heal.”

“Then wouldn’t he swell?” Chanyeol asks, thinking that everything about this is serious.

“There is mild swelling,” Minseok mutters. “You just can’t see it. The blood pooling underneath his skin here,” he says, pointing to a bruising spot on Yixing’s abdomen, above and to the left of his bellybutton. “It keeps bleeding inside, but it should stop soon since he’s been taking his medications as recommended.”

Chanyeol frowns then, looking to Minseok. “But he hasn’t had the need to take his medication. He hasn’t had an episode this severe in two years.”

Minseok mimics his expression, reaching out to gently touch Yixing’s stomach, and Chanyeol’s surprised to hear Yixing groan before reaching out and grabbing onto Minseok’s wrist. He still looks tired, weak, but his grip looks strong and Chanyeol hesitates. “Yixing,” he gently calls, watching as the other turns to face him instead. “May I sit on the bed?”

The way Yixing’s gaze darts between him, Minseok, and the bed makes Chanyeol want to retract his question. He doesn’t want to make Yixing uncomfortable. But then he slowly relaxes, closing his eyes, and his hand slips from its grip around Minseok’s wrist. “I will heal,” he murmurs quietly, “but you can, if you want. I just haven’t felt like this in a long time, so it’s really taking its toll on me.”

Despite his words, Chanyeol hesitates. He should leave and let Yixing rest. He knows his body better than anyone else and if he says he’s going to be fine, he should be. But before he can move or make a decision, Minseok speaks up first, “I will go request and retrieve your medicine. It will take about thirty minutes.”

Yixing opens his eyes at the words, looking to Minseok tiredly. “There is no need. My body should be able to heal fine on its own.”

There’s a moment where Chanyeol can see Minseok’s hesitation. It’s evident in the way the green fades to brown in his eyes and his lips keep twitching, and he smiles when Minseok lightly taps his fourth finger and thumb together, providing a light clinking sound. “I am going to retrieve it,” he murmurs, staring hard at Yixing. “It is still up for you to decide whether to ingest it or not.” Before he can leave the room though, Yixing speaks up again, sounding obviously and painfully confused.

“Why?”

“It is in my protocol to protect Chanyeol,” Minseok answers with a shrug, covering Yixing’s body back with his clothes. “I am also designed to refuse harm to humans, which I apologize for my behavior earlier this week. Sometimes, even I become confused with how I was created. Retrieving your medicine will fulfill these protocols.” Chanyeol stares at Minseok confused, wondering how in any world this would protect him from harm, but then Minseok turns to him with a small smile before leaving the room. “I will contact EVOLVE for the medication and wait for the delivery. During this time, I will also bring your food for you to eat here.”

The door remains open behind him but Chanyeol thinks it might as well be closed anyways with how uncomfortable he suddenly becomes. It feels strangely intimate to be in a bedroom alone with Yixing. Though, if he thinks more about it, sharing a bedroom with another human should be intimate in some sense of the word. He stares at the free side of the bed, closest to him, before looking to Yixing who’s now staring at him amused.

“I doubt I can do anything to an almighty Park in this condition,” he says, and it helps. It breaks the tension that’s managed to work its way into Chanyeol and he laughs, sliding onto the empty side of the bed. There’s enough space between them to consider it comfortable, considering it’s a king-sized bed, and Chanyeol tries his best to relax next to the other.

The pallor and exhaustion hasn’t left Yixing’s face, but he looks like he’s more relaxed, sighing softly as he closes his eyes. “You should sleep,” Chanyeol suggests, watching as Yixing tilts his head in his direction the slightest bit. “It should help you recover faster.”

“It may,” Yixing sighs, struggling to open his eyes to stare at him. “But I should wait for Minseok to return.”

Yixing looks so tired, dirty, and Chanyeol feels this overwhelmingly need to take care of him. He’s done a lot for him, unintentionally, and Chanyeol feels the need to repay him. He stares at Yixing a minute longer, watches as his eyes close again slowly, before he makes a decision and gets up from the bed. He walks to his bedroom to retrieve some of his clothes for sleep before returning, placing it on the edge of the bed, and going into the adjacent bathroom and grabbing a clean washcloth that’s been soaked with soap.

When he returns, Yixing is softly snoring. It surprises Chanyeol to hear it at first, but then he smiles, amused. He walks over to Yixing’s side carefully, wondering what to do with the towel now that Yixing is asleep, but he doesn’t wait long when there’s a soft series of kicks on the opened doorway and he looks over to see Minseok carrying a tray with two plates of food and glasses of water.

“Oh,” Minseok says, walking in and setting the tray on the spare table at the side of the room. “He’s asleep.”

“I told him he should rest,” Chanyeol says in response, feeling the warmth of the cloth in his hand seep into his skin. “But he said he should wait for you to return.”

Minseok hums in thought as he takes a step closer before stopping, eyeing Yixing again and analyzing him. “That’s considerate of him,” he murmurs, a small smile tugging at his lips. “He always looks peaceful when he sleeps or, well, all humans do. It’s endearing.”

Chanyeol looks back to Yixing at those words, taking in Yixing’s appearance, and he agrees. He’s seen Minseok sleep plenty of times, looking peaceful himself, but to see another human like this, it warms Chanyeol’s heart.

“Were you going to help clean him up?”

Humming, Chanyeol nods. “Yeah.” There’s a moment where they fall silent, both of them lost in their thoughts, or what Chanyeol assumes is thoughts, and he doesn’t know if he should return the washcloth to the bathroom or not. He wants to wipe away the dried sweat on Yixing’s face, at least, but he won’t touch him unless he allows him.

“Once he heals,” Minseok suddenly says, causing Chanyeol to look back at him. There’s an expression of uncertainty on Minseok’s face, something unusual to Chanyeol, but he continues speaking anyways. “I will possibly agree to remove the transponder from his head.”

Chanyeol frowns, confused, “But I thought you wouldn’t do it.”

“Not when he was going to fight like that,” Minseok answers. He won’t stop staring at Yixing. “I need him at his peak. I also said ‘possibly.’”

“Why?” Chanyeol asks, exasperated. He places the damp washcloth on the bedside table before turning to give his full attention to his android. “Explain yourself, Minseok.”

All Minseok does is stare at him for a few minutes before he closes his eyes to prevent himself from analyzing Chanyeol again. “I am made to protect you,” he says quietly.

“I _know_ that,” Chanyeol interrupts, but then he stops himself when Minseok opens his eyes to glare at him.

“I am made to protect you,” Minseok repeats, emphasizing his words as he does so. “My creation and program were to ensure you are protected and well taken care of. Because of this, I have certain protocols that need to be fulfilled and satisfied for me to function.” His gaze softens, as does his voice, and Chanyeol has to strain to hear him until Minseok simply stops speaking. “Removing Yixing’s transponder will most likely put you in danger…”

No words are spoken after that and Chanyeol waits, wondering what else Minseok is going to say. The only reason removing Yixing’s chip in his head will put him in danger is if there is a trigger attached to it. Even then, there should be no problems afterwards. He can simply buy out Yixing completely and take him away from EVOLVE to allow him a life of freedom, though still technically under his name. But when Minseok doesn’t speak up, only continues to stare at him, Chanyeol becomes worried. “Minseok, speak.”

“Yixing appears to be resting well,” Minseok says. His voice sounds automatic, strange, and he looks helpless standing there. It’s like he’s pleading for help but Chanyeol doesn’t know what to do to help him, or what for exactly. “I will leave the food here for both of you to eat. I will also return every hour to ensure Yixing is healing properly.”

“Minseok,” Chanyeol calls, making Minseok still in his spot before he can even move. “Why can’t you tell me?” If Minseok were made to protect him, wouldn’t he tell him what type of danger he was getting himself into?

“I’m afraid,” Minseok starts off, voice small. He’s clearly fighting himself, the way his mouth opens and he keeps it open, trying to force the words out of his mouth. “My protocols,” he grits out, before he becomes quiet again. He looks aggravated, rightfully so, because Chanyeol is annoyed too.

“Whatever protocol is keeping you silent, I command it to be overridden by my authority,” Chanyeol voices, watching as Minseok’s eyes immediately glow green. It lasts minutes, Chanyeol waiting for the strange protocol to be deleted, but then Minseok’s eyes return to its normal and he stays silent. “Minseok.”

“I cannot, sir,” Minseok whispers and if androids could cry, Chanyeol is sure he would be, seeing unshed tears by now with how helpless his android looks. “I’m sorry, Chanyeol.”

Chanyeol doesn’t give hugs. He doesn’t receive much in the first place, not anymore, and the only one who provides him with much needed live contact is Minseok. But with the way his android looks right now, Chanyeol walks over anyways to pull him into a hug. It’s different, when he initiates it, but he can feel his android’s tense stance soften in his embrace. Minseok buries himself in his chest and he doesn’t know how long they stand there like that, sharing warmth and coldness, but it’s long enough for Yixing to wake up, softly humming to grab their attentions.

“I have never seen an android hug a human before, or vice versa,” Yixing murmurs. He’s blinking slowly, as if to wake himself up further, but all he does is turn slightly on his side, wincing as he does so. “It’s interesting, to say the least.”

“Whatever happens,” Minseok says, calling out to Yixing who opens his eyes wider in turn. The android is pulling out of Chanyeol’s embrace to move closer to the man on the bed and Chanyeol’s eyes widen in confusion at his words. “Yixing, I need you to protect Chanyeol.”

By the expression on Yixing’s face, he’s confused by Minseok’s words too. He takes a minute to stare at him before looking to Chanyeol and all Chanyeol can do is shrug, at a loss. When Yixing looks back to Minseok, he frowns but nods nonetheless. “Of course,” he answers, trying to move to see the android better. “It’s different, how you two act towards each other, but I will protect him as well.”

Minseok’s tense stance softens at the answer. He visibly relaxes, sighing, before he nods his gratitude and leaves the room. It leaves Chanyeol with more questions than answers. “I don’t know what’s going on,” he confesses, looking over to Yixing who’s slowly blinking his eyes again. He still looks sleepy. “Go back to sleep,” he suggests, walking over closer to him. He gives him a soft smile, reaching out to brush the fringe out of Yixing’s eyes. “I was going to clean your face with this washcloth here, but it’s gone cold. I didn’t want to do it without your consent.” He tilts his head in the direction of the door. “Our food is there too, if you’d rather eat now.”

“I should shower,” Yixing agrees, murmuring, “but food sounds nice too.” His eyes fall closed within seconds and he sighs softly. “Or you could wipe my face. I’m tired.”

“I can tell,” Chanyeol says with a laugh, continuing to brush the hair out of Yixing’s face. He doesn’t flinch and Chanyeol tries not to question his own movements. He reaches for the cold washcloth before leaving Yixing’s side. He tosses it into the laundry bin before grabbing a new one, repeating his earlier process. When he emerges, Yixing has clearly fallen asleep again but Chanyeol takes care in gently wiping his face. He kneels next to him, trying to keep as level to him as he can. His actions only make Yixing shift every few minutes, murmuring incoherent nonsense, but, somehow, it makes Chanyeol smile.

In this moment, all Chanyeol can think of is how they aren’t really different.

 

Days pass where Yixing recuperates. Chanyeol has had Ray call in cancelations and to reschedule meetings to where a hologram of him is sufficient. He has had Minseok look up more information into the streets’ backgrounds and how society has become so divided. He has tried his best to memorize his way through the virtual streets starting with Volure Street since Yixing still hasn’t told him where he lived yet.

In between all this, Yixing has finally regained enough strength to get up and shower. He takes the proffered clothes that lay on the bed before stumbling his way into the bathroom. Minseok has taken it as his duty to keep watch outside, keeping his senses heightened in the case that Yixing falls in there without either of them knowing. But Chanyeol, he stays seated on the free side of the bed watching the closed bathroom doors. He’s spent any free time not in his office watching and making sure Yixing is actually healing. He can’t stop it, not when he notices Yixing’s hair is soft after it dries from a nice, hot shower or how his clothes still fit Yixing nicely when he puts them on.

Chanyeol notices, too, how Yixing smiles around them more. He sits up in bed and talks while eating, about the one or two times the transponder had been knocked out of place and he could remember those times, one with a different participant. He watches Minseok move around the room with curiosity rather than suspicion and Chanyeol can tell it makes Minseok happy too. It’s become a nice calm to a rocky start and Chanyeol laughs when Yixing is finally walking around and arguing with Ray like he’s always been there.

“No, this can’t be right. This street was already demolished before I even came to EVOLVE!”

“Sir, I am one hundred percent sure you are wrong,” Ray responds back, causing Yixing to frown even more.

“Why would they rebuild this street then? There was literally _no one_ living there,” Yixing argues, frowning as he swipes his way through the streets and buildings. He doesn’t linger on one place for too long and Chanyeol frowns when he realizes Yixing still won’t tell him where he lived.

“I honestly have no idea, sir,” Ray drawls. “I am only but a simple desk.”

At that, Yixing rolls his eyes and Chanyeol laughs. “Yixing, I think you should give your efforts a break,” he suggests, walking over to him from the side of the room. He’s let Yixing sit in his leather chair now that he knows Yixing has wanted to use his technology. It makes his heart race at the sight, Yixing blending in, using what’s his like it’s always been his, but he tries to quell it long enough to function like a normal human being. “Do something else on there, if you’d like.”

Yixing scowls at him but does as suggested. He swipes away the virtual map and pulls up different articles instead. There are some talking about them, rumors that Yixing is not one of the best fighters within EVOLVE anymore or that Chanyeol is starting to go AWOL, but they don’t pay it any mind. They continue their one fight a week, with minimal injuries, and Chanyeol’s parents haven’t called him regarding anything that could’ve possibly made it to wherever they are right now. It makes their living situation easy, comfortable, and Chanyeol hums when Yixing finds the one contract he had formulated for EVOLVE.

There’s a moment where Yixing takes the chance to read it, skimming through the file, and Chanyeol waits patiently as he drinks some of his wine. He had Yixing’s prints activated to open most of his files and technology and so far, he hasn’t regretted his decision.

“This was dated three months ago,” Yixing murmurs, scanning the date again. “You still haven’t signed it.”

Chanyeol hums once more, coming in closer to read the file as well. “I know,” he says, glancing at the scar behind Yixing’s ear. They still haven’t removed it, but Yixing hasn’t been hit hard enough to warrant its movement to its original spot.

“Why?”

Chanyeol feels his heart skip a beat, still looking down when Yixing turns to look over his shoulder at him, and he thinks he needs to drink more wine to keep eye contact with the fighter. “It will permanently tie me with them,” he answers, taking a swig of his wine after. He hopes it’s enough of an answer, but Yixing raises an eyebrow at him to continue. “I want to take you out of that company,” he confesses, watching as Yixing’s eyes widen immediately afterwards. “I don’t want you going back to someone who’s mindless. I enjoy your company and your personality is, well, cool.”

At that, Yixing snorts. “Cool?”

“Well, you know what I mean,” Chanyeol hastily says, finishing off the wine in his glass. He walks away then, towards the side table so he can refill his glass. There’s the faint sound of a bell ringing throughout the house and Chanyeol stills momentarily at the sound. “Oh, that must be Kyungsoo, Baekhyun, and Jongdae,” he murmurs, before turning around and walking back to Yixing. The other simply sits there, staring at him, and Chanyeol frowns at him in return. “What?”

“It’s strange,” Yixing mumbles, stare unrelenting. It’s like he’s analyzing him, but Chanyeol can’t care too much with the wine in his system. “The only son of the Parks isn’t what I thought he would be when I met him, not now anyways.”

This time, Chanyeol raises his eyebrow at him, curious. “What does that mean?”

“You look good in a white button-up and black slacks,” Yixing starts off, eyeing him up and down once. It causes a prickle of heat to start from the back of Chanyeol’s neck and spreads up and down, at the attention. “You’re actually decent and thoughtful, when you’re not behaving like you were trained to do when young. Your opinions are interesting and your relationship with Minseok is even more so.”

Chanyeol suddenly feels self-conscious. His grip on his glass is tightening without his knowledge and he tries to stop himself when he feels the edge of the patterned glass digging into his palm. He waits for more, to see what else is running through Yixing’s mind, but then they hear a knock and they look over to see Kyungsoo and Baekhyun standing there, staring at them curiously.

“How come Yixing gets to sit at his desk?” Baekhyun asks loudly, almost whining, as he pushes his way past Kyungsoo to walk further into the room. His presence takes up the most space, immediately going for Yixing’s free side and looking over to see what’s all on the desk. “Oh? What’s this? A contract?”

Suddenly, Yixing panics. He swipes his fingers all over the desk, trying to clear it completely of files and articles, but it’s too late. Chanyeol figures it doesn’t matter anyways, especially if he isn’t going to complete it.

“Well, isn’t that suspicious?” Kyungsoo questions curiously, walking up to his desk as well. He eyes them but doesn’t really say much else. “What was that for?”

“It looked like it was a contract with EVOLVE,” Baekhyun answers dutifully. He moves over to sit in a spare chair, relaxing back against it and sighing contentedly.

Kyungsoo hums, looking to Chanyeol for answers. “What type? That same one?”

YIxing stays quiet, leaving it all up to Chanyeol, but all he does is shrug at him anyways. “It was to create some type of merge between my family’s name and EVOLVE,” he reminds before explaning. “It’s been drafted for months now, complete with meetings, but I have decided not to go through with it.”

Kyungsoo’s eyes widen at his words, as he leans over the desk and tries searching for the file. “You were trying to do what?” he asks, realizing he can’t bring up anything with his nonexistent prints in the system. “Why did you stop?”

“I don’t want to join a company who is harboring people like Yixing and Baekhyun under their name,” Chanyeol answers simply, making Kyungsoo still in his spot before looking up at him. He takes the chance to look at Baekhyun who looks equally surprised and he laughs, softly, at the sight. “Kyungsoo, these two men have wonderful personalities. Despite their status, they can be just like us. We act the same whether or not we want to deny it and I don’t want to support a company who suppresses all of that with a simple microchip.”

His answer stuns all of them into silence. Kyungsoo and Baekhyun’s mouths gape and they take more than a minute to recover, but then Yixing is moving first, spinning slightly in his chair to openly face Chanyeol and smile at him. This one, it’s truly a beautiful smile. Chanyeol kind of wants to taste it. Or is that the wine speaking? Is that weird?

“Chanyeol,” Kyungsoo murmurs, sounding scared, conflicted. When Chanyeol looks back to him, he appears as much as how he sounds.

“You know I’m right, Kyungsoo,” Chanyeol continues on, frown marring his lips. He sets his glass of wine down on his desk, Ray protesting at the sense of condensation on his interface, but Yixing simply taps his knuckles on the desktop before telling Ray to go to sleep. It catches Kyungsoo’s attention and Chanyeol has no idea why his friend looks so appalled. “Kyungsoo, what are you thinking?”

There’s a moment of silence where Kyungsoo simply stares at each of them and before he can turn to walk away, Baekhyun is getting up from his chair and running for him. He blocks Kyungsoo from leaving, sidestepping wherever Kyungsoo tries, before it leaves Kyungsoo groaning in frustration. “Kyungsoo,” Baekhyun tries this time, clearly refraining from reaching out for him.

“This is,” Kyungsoo trails off, searching Baekhyun’s eyes. Chanyeol doesn’t understand why until he sees defeat settle in Baekhyun’s gaze. “Wrong.”

“Kyungsoo,” Chanyeol calls, holding a hand out for Yixing to stay put in his chair. He steps around his desk to get closer to his friend and he sees Baekhyun trying to corner him in from the other side, hoping to block Kyungsoo from running out of his office in a panicked frenzy. “I want to give Yixing his freedom,” he echoes, watching as Kyungsoo whips his head to him with wide eyes. “He deserves it.”

“But,” Kyungsoo mumbles, turning around to face Yixing, who’s staring at him concerned.

“I plan to have his transponder removed,” Chanyeol announces quietly, watching as Kyungsoo whips his head towards him again. Even Baekhyun is looking at him surprised. “Minseok says it’s possible to remove it but will only do so when Yixing is at his peak condition. Please, tell me there is no trigger connected to the transponder.”

Kyungsoo looks to Baekhyun then, appearing completely lost, and Chanyeol feels sorry for his friend. He’s never seen Kyungsoo look so helpless before. “Kyungsoo,” Baekhyun softly coaxes, still refraining from reaching out to touch him. It takes longer this time, to try and get Kyungsoo to snap out of his head, but when he does, he sounds broken.

“There is a trigger,” he answers, continuing to search Baekhyun’s eyes, before he finally looks away and to Chanyeol instead. “Once it’s removed, I heard EVOLVE will immediately know. They will come for you and hunt you down. There is only one person who has tried to do this without EVOLVE’s knowledge and… it didn’t end well, for anybody involved.” He looks like he’s on the verge of tears then and Chanyeol can’t understand why. “He was one of my childhood friends, Chanyeol. It’s why I always hesitate in getting Baekhyun’s chip removed.”

At this, Baekhyun frowns, realization dawning on him. His eyebrows furrow together and he takes a step back when Kyungsoo takes a step forward. “I can protect you,” Baekhyun whispers, stilling when Kyungsoo does. “I can _protect_ you, Kyungsoo. I’m not the best fighter in EVOLVE for nothing.”

“But they hunted him and his fighter down until they were slaughtered!” Chanyeol flinches at the volume. Kyungsoo sounds almost hysteric, backing up until he hits the edge of Chanyeol’s desk. “Nobody would help them. _I_ couldn’t help him because I was new and had just gotten involved with EVOLVE. I was scared they would hunt me too if I showed any type of relation with him outside of the company.”

Immediately, Chanyeol looks to Yixing. He’s worried, his eyebrows furrowed together, but he doesn’t move from his spot. Chanyeol can tell Yixing doesn’t know what to do in this situation.

“But Kyungsoo,” Baekhyun tries, helpless. He shakes his head then, trying to will away the vulnerable emotions clearly flowing off of him in waves. He turns to him then, and Yixing. “We wouldn’t be alone if Chanyeol and Yixing do it too.”

Suddenly, Chanyeol wants to retract his statement. He doesn’t want to die at an age this young. But when he looks over to Yixing, that feeling of fear dies down the slightest bit. “Only if Yixing still wants to have it removed,” he says quietly, watching as Yixing bites his lip.

“I don’t want to keep fighting,” Yixing mumbles after. “I don’t want to keep being _forced_ to fight.”

“If you removed that chip, you’ll keep fighting until you die,” Kyungsoo reasons, voice barely under a shout. When he turns around, he bumps into the desk, gasping, as he gets knocked off balanced. Baekhyun easily catches him, keeping him grounded with hands on his hips and Chanyeol can’t believe he’s seeing such a rare show of affection between his friend and the fighter when Kyungsoo instinctively leans back into Baekhyun’s chest. “You’ll have to keep running,” Kyungsoo eventually whispers, gaze turning sad, worried. “They have the resources to keep hunting until they’ve found you. They don’t want anyone knowing where fighters like you come from, how bad our society has become over the years.”

“They can’t touch me though,” Chanyeol argues, trying to keep his emotions at bay when Kyungsoo closes his eyes, seemingly in defeat. “I’m a Park. I’m one of those in my family whose name helped create this city. There is no way anybody, let alone a company like EVOLVE, can touch me.”

Kyungsoo shakes his head, Baekhyun taking to wrapping his arms around him from behind, burying his face in Kyungsoo’s neck. “It won’t matter,” he murmurs, opening his eyes and showing the pain he’s lived through. “Your family won’t rescue you. Those in the streets won’t rescue you. In this city, you fend for yourself and I don’t want to see you die too.”

Chanyeol doesn’t know what to say to that. The words stab through his chest like a knife. He believes his family, at least his sister, would help him if anything happened to him. Minseok would be at his side through thick and thin. _Yixing_ would be there to help protect him if things go wrong. They would be able to survive. They would be able to–

“Baekhyun,” Yixing suddenly calls, causing Chanyeol to flinch in his spot. He looks over to the fighter to see him giving him a small, sympathetic smile and he doesn’t know what’s happening until Yixing says, “According to this map, Volure Street still looks the same as it has for the past ten years. I’ve been searching for my own too, Tangen Street, one of the streets in the northeast sector of the city and it still looks the same.”

Baekhyun smiles at the information, grateful, and Chanyeol’s eyes widen in realization when he remembers where Tangen Street is. He’s seen it multiple times in his search for Yixing’s home place and it’s filled with dirt, concrete streets, and brick houses. There is barely any plant life present but the sky is cloudy and maybe cooler than it is in the main city.

“I still request for this transponder to be removed,” Yixing continues on, standing, and walking until he’s right next to Chanyeol’s side. He can’t have any wine, in case the abnormal alcohol levels trigger something within the chip, but he takes a whiff of it anyways. “I want complete freedom. If I die, then I die fighting for my own right.”

The fear settles in Kyungsoo’s eyes again but a gentle squeeze from Baekhyun’s arms helps lessen it the slightest bit. “I’m with you, Yixing,” Baekhyun agrees quietly, causing Kyungsoo to jerk out of his embrace. He’s staring at Baekhyun worriedly, but now Chanyeol knows why. “I’m sorry, Kyungsoo,” Baekhyun murmurs, trying to reach out to touch him, only for Kyungsoo to back away again. “Kyungsoo, I want my freedom too.”

It hits them in the chest–both Chanyeol and Kyungsoo–but Chanyeol has this security that he knows Kyungsoo doesn’t. “Kyungsoo, just stay with us and you’ll be fine,” he tries to reassure, watching as Kyungsoo shakes his head at him. “We have two of the best fighters on our side. We have a good chance.”

“No, we don’t,” Kyungsoo whispers, before they hear Jongdae calling for them. He tries to calm himself, enough so that he appears close to normal, and he bites his lip before leaving the room first. He completely bypasses Baekhyun, trying not to spare a glance at him, and Chanyeol feels his heart ache when he sees something break in Baekhyun’s gaze.

“I’ve been asking to have the chip surgically removed,” Baekhyun quietly says, sighing softly afterwards. “Kyungsoo has always talked about it but never mentioned actually doing it. I guess I know why, now.” He looks over his shoulder at them, a sad smile on his lips. “It’s nice to see you two actually getting along now. With the way you two act, I wouldn’t be surprised if your relationship turns into anything more.” There’s a glimmer of amusement in his eyes now, trying to bring up the sullen mood in the room. “You also look nice in his clothes, Yixing. I’m glad to meet the real you.”

With that, Baekhyun leaves the room to eat dinner. It leaves Chanyeol and Yixing alone in his office and Chanyeol can’t help but stare after the other fighter. He doesn’t know how all the others are at EVOLVE, but it’s somewhat nothing short of amazing to have been connected to the two fighters he does know, right now. He thinks Kyungsoo should give all of this a shot, to allow Minseok the chance to remove the transponder from Baekhyun’s head after he does it for Yixing, but he loses his train of thought when he feels someone grab his hand.

When he looks down, he sees Yixing’s hand attached to his. It’s a gentle grip, a soft pressure to realize that he’s there and present, and Chanyeol smiles as he squeezes his hand back. “I promised Minseok I’d protect you, if he couldn’t,” Yixing murmurs, smiling, as he lets his hand slip from Chanyeol’s. His eyes sparkle with amusement much in the same way as Baekhyun’s had moments ago, and Chanyeol doesn’t want to see that disappear, especially when Yixing reaches up and gently pokes his cheek. “You have a dimple too, you know?”

Chanyeol does know, but he shrugs his shoulder anyways, following after Yixing when he leaves to go join the others in the dining room.

It’s a mostly quiet affair, with Jongdae and Baekhyun taking up most of the conversation, but Chanyeol can tell both Jongdae and Minseok know something is off when they can’t stop glancing at Kyungsoo every few minutes. His friend has never been much of a talker in the first place, but his mood is evident even through the brightness of everyone else. It makes Chanyeol worry, doubting his decisions again, because he doesn’t want Kyungsoo to lose his life or another friend’s.

When dinner ends, Chanyeol can see Baekhyun pull Kyungsoo aside. It isn’t strange anymore to see this dynamic, but it is strange to have Yixing stand so close to him as they watch their friends converse with Jongdae at the side. Kyungsoo’s android looks as worried as him and Chanyeol can tell it’s frustrating Baekhyun.

“They don’t have to do it,” Yixing murmurs next to him, leaning into his side. Out of instinct, Chanyeol moves his arm to wrap around his waist, hand hanging low on Yixing’s hip. He doesn’t say anything else and Chanyeol frowns, waiting for some type of continuation.

“But?” Chanyeol asks, looking over when he hears Minseok exiting the kitchen.

“Yes, your hand is very close to mine.”

Almost immediately, Minseok sends a glare his way and Chanyeol steps away and throws his hands up in the air. He feels like he got caught stealing his parents’ game tablet like when he was younger. His android doesn’t say anything, but he continues to glare at him until he realizes what’s going on in the other side of their living room.

When he’s effectively distracted, Yixing starts laughing. It starts out quiet, soft, but then it escalates in volume until they’re the distracting ones instead. Chanyeol is still standing one awkward foot away from the fighter with his hands up and he can’t help but give an uncertain, lopsided smile to the others in the room. Baekhyun and Jongdae look amused, but Kyungsoo and Minseok don’t and Chanyeol feels the need to say, “It’s all him,” while pointing to Yixing. He flinches when he suffers a punch to the side for that.

They spend a few more minutes conversing, where Chanyeol can’t hear a word they’re saying, but he sighs in relief when he feels comfortable enough to let his hands hang by his sides again. He turns to glare at Yixing, who only looks amused with the whole situation, and he really shouldn’t be when the others are discussing their fate with EVOLVE and these transponders.

“This might be the only chance we have fun, if what Kyungsoo says is true,” Yixing quietly says, barely a murmur. The smile on his face is sad, reminiscing. “The last day before I volunteered for EVOLVE, I ate dinner with my family. It wasn’t much, just some beans and rice, but it was nice. We had fun and then I went to see old friends who didn’t want to become involved with the system,” he sighs then, closing his eyes. “An android managed to rile up one of my friends and was fighting her. She could hold her own, but it was obvious the android was winning. I stepped in and managed to break it indefinitely before making sure others weren’t lingering around. My other friends were terrified but said they would train until they could protect each other too.”

When he looks at him, Chanyeol can see the sadness in his eyes too.

“Loyalty is big in the streets. Without it, none of us would survive. They told me to join EVOLVE–I was the best fighter in our entire sector–and said I’d be able to get them good resources for the next few years, at least. I bargained with EVOLVE until I could get them and my family what I thought they needed.” Chanyeol wants to ask what happened with his friends, if Yixing maybe had any sort of relation to any of them further than friendship, but he doesn’t ask. It’s not the time. “I kissed her before I left, because I didn’t know what it was like,” Yixing confesses, looking away and to the group in the living room. “It was pleasant. I hoped to do it again if I survived whatever games I was signing up for. I didn’t know so much time had passed.”

Chanyeol glances down to Yixing’s lips. They look soft, especially his bottom one, and he wants to see what it’s like, too. It’s been a while, being that close to anybody who isn’t an android.

“I figured if I died in the process, someone would know my story.”

Chanyeol immediately glances up at that, noticing how Yixing is now staring at him. It isn’t anything expectant, but Chanyeol can feel the weight of his words on his entire body. “You won’t die,” he says, watching as a flash of sadness crosses Yixing’s eyes. “I’ll learn how to fight too. Didn’t you say I could’ve been a great fighter, if given the chance?”

This time, Yixing’s smile is more amused than melancholic. He shakes his head at him, almost fond. “Yeah, if it weren’t for your terrible knees.”

“I can still kneel for a reasonable amount of time without them hurting,” Chanyeol protests, frowning, and then staring curiously at Yixing when he laughs. “What?”

“Strangely innocent at the weirdest times” is all Yixing has to comment on before he’s stepping forward. He’s always walking ahead of Chanyol, leading the way, and he realizes belatedly that, maybe, it’s always been like this. “I am firm in my decision and request to have Minseok remove my transponder,” he announces, and Chanyeol watches as everyone else goes silent at his words. “And quite frankly, I want to see what EVOLVE has up their sleeves. It can’t be any worse than what Baekhyun and I have experienced on the streets.”

There’s a collective moment where they all fall silent, though Baekhyun’s lips have tugged up into a smirk, clearly agreeing with Yixing’s words. Kyungsoo still looks like he wants to protest, wants to save their lives, but then Jongdae is placing a hand on Kyungsoo’s shoulder instead. Baekhyun murmurs something soft, along the lines of, “We aren’t weak, Kyungsoo.” But even then, Kyungsoo only informs them of their leave. They watch as they exit Chanyeol’s house and he demands Jongdae inform all of them when they reach their house.

Minutes later, while Chanyeol is trying to distract himself with work and Yixing simply sits in his office using one of his tablets, Minseok receives the call. It’s nothing more than a simple, “we’re home,” but it’s enough for Chanyeol to breathe a sigh of relief.

 

“Again,” Yixing grunts, stilling in his spot. He’s panting, a sheen of sweat covering his body as he falls into a defensive position, but it’s nothing compared to the amount of sweat Chanyeol is producing in his own body. He already feels worn out, entire body sore, but they’ve only been at this for an hour. He thought he was _fit_. What is this nonsense? “Chanyeol.”

Chanyeol groans at the call, straightening up his body from where he was hunched over, and props himself up with his hands on his knees. He tries to fall into his own defensive stance again. It still feels awkward. He’s not used to holding his arms up for an extended period of time or crouching down the littlest bit. It makes it easier for moving, of course, but he clearly doesn’t have the muscle mass or stamina to keep doing this. He waits for Yixing to call his name again, demanding, and Chanyeol grunts as he runs forward in response.

For the entire time they’ve been up there, Chanyeol has only landed one punch to Yixing’s stomach. Anything other than that was easily blocked or dodged and Chanyeol feels like punching a wall when he misses Yixing’s head by a mere two centimeters. The power he put into this punch delays his reactions, making it easy for Yixing to deliver an uppercut to his chin, and Chanyeol falls back at the impact, groaning and cursing because there is pain _everywhere_. He clutches his chin next, rolling onto his side, and carpet has never hurt more than it does right now.

He can hear Minseok off to the side, slurping on a can of oil, and Chanyeol opens an eye to glare at his android. The room they’re in is spacious, barely furnished, and it gives them the perfect place to train if it’s not acting as a storage room first. “I thought you were created to protect me,” Chanyeol grits out, ignoring Yixing’s laugh of disbelief above him. “Yet you sit there as if you’re entertained by all of this.”

To his credit, Minseok nods. “Yes,” but then he smiles around the straw in his mouth and Chanyeol groans again as another dull ache throbs through his jaw. “However, Yixing is teaching you how to defend yourself. This, I can allow.”

“Traitor,” Chanyeol grumbles, whining when Yixing kicks his foot. His android does nothing more than shrug at him in return and Chanyeol curses, again, when Yixing nudges his back with the tip of his shoe.

“Get up” is all Yixing says. It’s short, curt, but Chanyeol gets up anyways, though he continues to groan as he does so. When he turns to face Yixing again, there’s a look of amusement in his eyes. “One more round, and then we’ll quit for the time being.”

Chanyeol doesn’t believe that, but he steels himself anyways. He eyes Yixing’s entire body posture, neither of them moving away, and Chanyeol gasps when Yixing suddenly reaches to grab onto his arm and spin him around to bring him to his knees. It happens too quickly, catching him off-guard, but when he feels the gentle pressure of Yixing’s fingers in the middle of his back between his shoulder blades, Chanyeol moves. He leans over, far enough for Yixing to lose his balance, and he kicks a leg back to ensure his opponent topples over with a sudden lack of balance. It gets Yixing’s hands off of him and Chanyeol hurries to push himself off of the ground to place a foot on Yixing’s stomach when he turns to see what happened.

“Not bad,” Yixing breathes, looking up at him with wide eyes. His mouth slowly forms into a wide smile and Chanyeol feels like basking in his approval. “Your legs are definitely helpful for situations like these.” Suddenly, Yixing’s arms come up to cut off Chanyeol’s balance over him and Chanyeol can’t help but yelp when he crumples down to the floor in a matter of seconds. He rolls away quickly, hearing Yixing get back up again, and he hurries to stand up on his feet, instinctively falling into a defensive stance. “Your response time is quicker,” Yixing notes, before he rushes forward.

It makes Chanyeol jump back out of instinct before jumping to the side. He can see the way Yixing catches his small movement before doing so and he braces himself by trying to figure out how he’ll attack. He can’t get it in time, where Yixing manages to punch his right side, but he jumps far enough that the impact isn’t as bad as Chanyeol thought it would be. It still feels like his entire body is becoming some type of stew, but it’s livable.

When he finds solid footing, he instantly spins and kicks a leg out, hoping to hit Yixing in the chest and push him back some. It works but only for a minute. Yixing is running around him again and Chanyeol curses mentally, wondering how he can move so fast in the first place. His speed didn’t look anything like this in the arena, but Chanyeol guesses it’s because he was always watching it behind a glass wall instead of up close and personal.

There are several more hits, a couple more kicks, but then Yixing manages to knock Chanyeol onto his back once more with a kick to his stomach. The pain doubles and Chanyeol thinks he needs to go into a healing facility for the next ten years. “Oh, hell,” he wheezes out, rolling over onto his side. It hurts to breathe but breathing is needed for living and wow, Yixing looks good in a pair of Minseok’s luxury shorts.

“I guess that’s all for right now,” Yixing says after a moment, eyeing him, when Chanyeol tilts his head enough to stare up at him too. The fighter isn’t even breathing as hard as he is but Chanyeol supposes it’s due to the fact he didn’t suffer a hit to his stomach in the last thirty seconds. “We can resume later.”

At his words, Minseok gets up and leaves the room. He mumbles something along the lines of “entertainment is done” and Chanyeol would shout at him for his severely poor word choice, but then Yixing is gently nudging his side with his foot again. He looks up to see a mixture of amusement and worry circling in Yixing’s eyes and Chanyeol only groans again, not in the mood to be at the receiving end of that.

“You’ll be fine,” Yixing reassures, laughing, as he sits on the ground next to him with his knees propped up and arms circling them loosely. His hair has been matted down by sweat and his skin is slick with it but Chanyeol still feels the need to touch him somehow. So, he does. He throws an arm out so it lies right beside Yixing’s legs and he watches as the other eyes it briefly before laying a hand on top of his own. It makes Chanyeol’s heart squeeze in his chest, inexplicably feeling _giddy_ , and he grips onto Yixing’s hand tight to try and prevent himself from smiling like an idiot.

“For anything other than stoicism and superiority, you clearly have no restraint or awareness when it comes to other emotions.” Chanyeol looks up at that, to Yixing’s eyes, and he feels a prickle of heat settle in the back of his neck again when he realizes Yixing is staring at him with a fond expression in his eyes. “Touching me makes you this happy?” he asks next, quietly, and Chanyeol doesn’t know what to say, because he hasn’t exactly felt like this before. “It’s endearing, to see how much I affect you at the most random of times.” Chanyeol looks back down to their hands, where he’s taken to rubbing his thumb gently over the back of Yixing’s hand and his heart squeezes again when he feels Yixing reciprocate it the littlest bit.

“Any feeling of affection is foreign nowadays,” Chanyeol murmurs, hearing Yixing hum in response. “So, it’s a little hard for me to comprehend anything. I just try to act on it–I have this overwhelming _need_ to act on it–and so far, I don’t know. I like it.” He feels the heat spread up to his ears and he tries to hide his face when he hears Yixing’s laughter.

“The infamous Park, one of the creators of this city,” Yixing muses and Chanyeol doesn’t know why the other is moving around so much until he feels Yixing’s free hand settle on top of his chest. He doesn’t move any more than that, but it’s effective in making Chanyeol look up at him, at his eyes, nose, and lips. “Is only human, just like us.”

 

This fight is like the others. Chanyeol makes a show of mouthing off commands to Yixing, eyeing their opponent carefully, but he doesn’t really need to say anything when Yixing can easily figure it out on his own. He draws blood with several punches to his opponent’s face and Yixing wheezes when he suffers kicks to his side and chest, but it’s nothing major. Nothing has made Chanyeol worry like the time Yixing needed days to recuperate and he realizes, belatedly, that Yixing doesn’t really get injured all that often. If he does, it only takes a few hours, at most a day, to recover and he’ll be fine to fight again the next day.

There’s a moment where the two players give each other an uppercut at the same time. But while Yixing immediately drops to the floor afterwards to try and knock his opponent off his feet, the other fighter is kicking out instead and knocking Yixing right across the temple. It causes him to grunt, gasping, and Chanyeol feels something cold running through his veins when he can hear the grunt resound in his head. It’s like a soft echo, haunting, and he can’t take his eyes off of Yixing as he groans, rolling away from his opponent, before slowly getting up.

It doesn’t take long for Yixing to get back into the fight, stronger, quicker, and he continues with his combination of moves. He knocks his opponent back to the ground, allowing Yixing to take the lead and take a step back to survey his damage. He’s breathing harshly, eyebrows furrowed together in concentration, but Chanyeol can’t tell if the transponder got relocated with a kick like that or not.

“Yixing,” he says softly, waiting. There’s no reaction and Chanyeol doesn’t want to command him anymore. “Finish the battle.”

Almost immediately, Yixing runs forward and knocks their opponent right off his feet again. He sits on his waist, throwing punches to his face left and right, and Chanyeol feels dread settle over every single part of his body. There is no show of remorse or worry, no hesitation, and Chanyeol watches with panic as Yixing knocks their opponent unconscious before stilling. Quickly, Chanyeol looks to the side screen, where the camera focuses in on Yixing and their opponent’s faces, and he can’t see any hint of emotion swirling through Yixing’s eyes.

 _WINNER : MR. PARK_ appears and spins between the two spectator boxes. It’s meant to be something joyous, a streak of pride filling the victor’s body from their heads to their toes, but Chanyeol can’t move out of his chair fast enough, mumbling a quick, “Yixing, return,” before he’s out the door.

He makes his way to the entrance of the arenas, where the players always wait for their owners, and Chanyeol releases the breath he didn’t know he’d been holding since he rushed down there. Yixing hasn’t emerged yet and Chanyeol gets the chance to tell the approaching androids, “Yixing does not require medical attention,” before Yixing exits the arena door. Seconds later, the androids turn away. They leave without a care in the world, but Chanyeol can’t take his eyes off of Yixing as he carefully approaches him.

Yixing doesn’t move. There’s no expression in his eyes or extraneous movements. He simply stands there, waiting for his command, and Chanyeol feels his heart drop into his stomach at the thought. He didn’t want this to happen again. He didn’t want to see Yixing disappear like this. He didn’t want– “Yixing,” he calls, watching as the fighter turns to face him. Everything hurts. “Let’s go home.”

Without any hesitance, without any spiteful glare, Yixing follows after Chanyeol.

 

The walk home is eerily silent. Yixing’s footsteps sound even, calculated, as he walks a step behind him, and Chanyeol can’t get rid of the image of Yixing’s blank stare. It feels different, somehow, from the very beginning and he wants to look over, to see why, but he knows he’s not going to get an answer, not when Yixing is like this. Even those who pass them on the streets, Chanyeol knows they don’t look any different. To them, he’s an owner of a fighter trained by EVOLVE–one of the most influential humans in the city and one of the best EVOLVE has had the pleasure of obtaining.

Minseok greets them first. He’s holding his tablet, probably watching some ancient cartoons he’s taken up the habit of studying ‘for research,’ but the moment he sees him, the expression on his face, he quickly glances over his shoulder to Yixing. “What happened?” he asks, eyes immediately glowing green afterwards. He places his tablet on the nearest table in the foyer and Chanyeol takes that as his cue to step away. He doesn’t want to, not wanting to leave Yixing, but he can’t even look when his android comes close enough to analyze Yixing up close to the best of his abilities.

“I think the transponder moved back into its right place,” Chanyeol murmurs softly, clenching his fist in frustration. He hears a clink, a telltale habit of Minseok’s, before a clink resounds in the empty hallway. He immediately looks over only to see Minseok holding onto Yixing’s outstretched fist in front of his face. Chanyeol’s jaw falls open in shock.

Minseok takes it in stride, using his grip on Yixing’s fist to redirect it to the side, and he leans in closer to stare into Yixing’s eyes. “I think he’s trying to fight it,” he says, still searching, curious. “Or this is his fighter’s instinct to a foreign android like me.”

“But you’re not foreign,” Chanyeol protests, _not anymore_. He watches as Yixing tries to punch Minseok again with his other fist, only to have that caught too. “Yixing.”

Slowly, they can see the fight drain out of Yixing’s body at his call. It’s almost subtle, if it weren’t for Minseok lowering his hands the same time Yixing’s body completely relaxes. “Not anymore,” Minseok says. It catches Chanyeol off-guard, gaze darting towards him, but then he realizes Minseok means the opposite of him. They weren’t foreign to each other before the fight today. Now, they are. “I’m sorry, sir,” Minseok says quietly, taking a couple steps back to give Yixing some space. “I don’t know how to move the transponder back out of place.”

“Just remove it,” Chanyeol demands, frowning at his android. “Minseok, let’s remove that thing right now.”

Almost immediately, Minseok shakes his head. He won’t look at Chanyeol but he won’t stop staring at Yixing either. “It will endanger you,” he murmurs quietly. His stance is rigid, like he’s trying to resist something, but Chanyeol doesn’t know why.

“Minseok,” he says anyways, growing more frustrated by the minute. “I order you to remove it.”

“I can’t!” Minseok suddenly shouts, startling Chanyeol. His eyes have grown into a soft, red color as he glares him down, and Chanyeol is startled for another reason entirely when he realizes he’s never seen this color before. He doesn’t know what it means, but he knows Minseok is upset. “Chanyeol,” Minseok says, voice eerily calm and steady. It makes his heart race, feeling the need to fight or flee, but Chanyeol knows Minseok. Minseok won’t harm him. “I cannot put you in danger.”

Suddenly, Minseok’s head whips to the side. His eyes widen in shock and Chanyeol gapes as he sees Yixing’s fist disconnect from Minseok’s face. The android doesn’t do more than take a step back to avoid being hit again, but it’s enough for Yixing to follow him. Yixing throws punches as much as he does in a fight in the arena, Minseok dodging or blocking each one, and Chanyeol doesn’t know what to do until they stumble into the side tables, knocking over vases and hitting the walls.

Instinctively, Chanyeol rushes forward. He grabs Minseok by the arm before spinning and pulling him out of the way. He suffers a punch to his back and he grunts at the impact, trying to catch his breath before turning and sending a punch towards Yixing’s face. He misses, giving Yixing the perfect opportunity to throw an uppercut, and Chanyeol blesses his parents for his height as he recovers quickly from it and lands a kick to Yixing’s stomach instead.

It knocks both of them back, Chanyeol landing on the ground as Yixing hits the wall, and Chanyeol has to catch his breath as he watches Yixing easily shake his injuries off. He stills then, staring at him, and Chanyeol feels dread wash over him again when he realizes Yixing can’t really see him at all. “Yixing,” he calls out, watching as Yixing takes a step towards him. He scrambles back, heart racing and mind telling him to run, but then Minseok steps between them and easily tosses Yixing over his shoulder when he rushes for him.

There’s a telltale _thud_ that resounds throughout the hallway, followed by several dull ones, and Chanyeol can’t even turn to see what’s happened to Yixing until he sees Minseok straightening up in front of him. He looks over slowly after that, finding Yixing lying on his back close to him, and he gasps when he hears Yixing groan in pain, minutes later. His face twitches as if he’s wincing and Chanyeol hesitates in scooting over. He tries to catch a glimpse of Yixing’s eyes, trying to find a hint of the real him, and he watches with bated breath as Yixing finally blinks his eyes open. The same soft brown he’s become so used to over the past few weeks have returned and Chanyeol scrambles over to see them up close.

Yixing is blinking up at the ceiling, seeming to get his bearings straight, and Chanyeol can’t control the happiness he feels when Yixing looks over at _him_. “Why am I on the ground?” Yixing asks, groaning when he tries to move after. Chanyeol hurries to help him, scooting in closer to prop Yixing’s upper body on his lap, and he smiles when Yixing shifts some more against him before sighing softly. “And why do you have a bruise under your chin?” He opens his eyes again, imploring, and Chanyeol can’t help but gently cradle Yixing’s head with one hand. His heart stutters when Yixing smiles and leans into his touch.

“Minseok flipped you,” Chanyeol answers quietly, hearing Minseok snort behind him and watching Yixing’s eyes widen in shock. “And you somewhat punched me.”

“What?” Yixing almost shouts, making Chanyeol laugh.

“Those actions happened in reverse, but it’s all essentially the same.” Chanyeol winces then, feeling a dull ache throb through his jaw. His hand moves with the pain, slipping from Yixing’s face to rest on his chest, and he clicks his tongue as he tries to get rid of the pain. “I’ve suffered punches from you before but, wow, that one takes the cake.”

Quickly, or as quick as he can, Yixing moves to sit up. He braces himself with his right hand on the floor before sitting completely and twisting to try and see him better. Chanyeol can tell the action hurts, watching as Yixing tries to re-situate itself to become more comfortable, and it’s like he forgets Minseok is even there right next to them.

“The transponder moved back to its original spot,” Minseok informs, startling Chanyeol. “You reverted back into your EVOLVE training.”

Instead of a frustrated groan like Chanyeol feels like making, Yixing sighs softly. His head tilts down as he closes his eyes, taking in deep breaths. He doesn’t say anything, but Chanyeol knows he really wants to. He just doesn’t know what.

When Yixing opens his eyes again, he looks tired. Exhaustion beats down on him in waves and all Chanyeol wants to do is take care of him, let him eat and rest as much as he pleases without worrying about keeping in shape, without worrying about fighting all day every day. His heart flips, when Yixing stares at him a beat longer than usual. “Can you help me get to my room?” he asks. He doesn’t even spare Minseok a glance.

“Of course,” Chanyeol answers, staring at him worriedly. He looks over to Minseok, to see his android’s sad gaze, and he tries to reassure him with a soft smile. “Can you make us dinner, Minseok?” he requests, watching as Minseok nods silently before leaving them alone.

Yixing is looking away when Chanyeol turns back to him, waiting, and Chanyeol makes the first move in getting up. He ignores the spikes of pain that wrack his body with the movement, sighing once he’s standing properly, and he reaches out a hand to help pull Yixing up with him. It takes more effort than Chanyeol’s used to, but he doesn’t fall backwards like the first time he did it during their training sessions.

Nothing is said as they walk into the living room and down the hallway towards Yixing’s room. They hear the classic clinks and clangs of the kitchen utensils and instruments in the kitchen before the chopping of some food and Chanyeol can’t keep his mind from wondering what’s going on in Yixing’s head. For a moment, he worries the transponder somehow slipped back into place, preventing Yixing from acting himself, but when he looks over, there is still some semblance of expression in Yixing’s face.

Even when they make it to Yixing’s room, it’s still quiet. Chanyeol stands right outside as Yixing enters and he opens his mouth to ask him something, anything, before he jerks when he feels a hand touch his own. “I don’t think I can lift my arm completely,” Yixing murmurs with a grimace. Chanyeol doesn’t know what that means, but he yelps when Yixing tugs him into the room before closing the door behind them.

There’s a moment of silence where Chanyeol stares down at Yixing. They’re close together, enough to take one step forward and bump into each other, but Chanyeol freezes at the thought. Yixing’s eyes are closed, his breaths even, and Chanyeol hopes he isn’t waiting for anything because he doesn’t think he can move at the moment.

When Yixing opens his eyes and stares up at him, Chanyeol feels like falling to the floor in shock. His eyes are absolutely _beautiful_. “I’m going to shower,” Yixing informs before taking a step back. He lifts his arms after, as high as they can go, and Chanyeol realizes Yixing was telling the truth when his right arm is lifted above his head but his left arm only goes to shoulder-level. “Help me?”

Despite easily helping Yixing out of his shirt, Chanyeol frowns. He can see Yixing wince with every wrong move he makes and he can see which positions help him relax. When his arms are down by his sides, Yixing releases a breath of relief involuntarily. “I’m going to go now,” Yixing murmurs before heading to the bathroom.

Instinctively, Chanyeol chases after him. He reaches a hand out, stilling Yixing with a hand on his right shoulder, and he tries to give him a reassuring smile when the fighter looks over his shoulder at him with an eyebrow raised. “Wait,” he simply says at Yixing’s curious look. Chanyeol moves closer to stand behind Yixing fully before raising his other hand and gently placing it on the fighter’s left shoulder. He can feel him flinch underneath his touch. He frowns. “How long has it been like this?” he asks, his voice a soft murmur. He doesn’t remember seeing this when they were fighting each other the day before.

He tries feeling the muscles around Yixing’s shoulder, to see if there are any obvious deformities or detachments, but he honestly doesn’t really know what he’s looking for except for a bone out of place or muscles that feel abnormal. He ends up massaging it, quickly moving his fingers to a different spot when he feels Yixing jerk underneath him, and he hopes he’s doing something right. “Yixing,” he calls, unsure, when he feels the fighter flinch again.

“It hurts,” Yixing simply says.

Chanyeol can feel Yixing’s muscles tense under his ministrations, so he stops. He pulls back, allowing Yixing room to move, and he watches his shoulder as Yixing turns to face him. Yixing ends up trying to stretch out the shoulder himself, wincing every time he tries to lift it above his head, and Chanyeol briefly wonders if Minseok can treat this. “Go shower,” he ends up murmuring, still eyeing the scarred expanse of skin. There are so many scars and bruises littering his skin, Chanyeol wants to know how he got each one. “Maybe a hot shower will help it,” he suggests before looking into Yixing’s eyes.

There’s something there, a fond look of understanding, and Chanyeol smiles at him in return. It makes Yixing break out into his own, laughing softly at his reaction, and he shakes his head at him before turning for the bathroom once more. “You are welcomed to stay in the room, if you want,” Yixing calls out right as he closes the bathroom door behind him. “Well, it’s technically your house, after all. You should be able to do whatever you want.”

At that, Chanyeol rolls his eyes. He wants to take a shower himself, at least get out of the dirty clothes he’s in before getting comfortable in a chair or bed, but he doesn’t really know how long Yixing is going to stay in the shower this time. Belatedly, he wonders if he could just join him, but then he quickly shakes his head at the thought, spinning on his heels and exiting the room. His heart is pounding at the thought of seeing Yixing completely naked for once and, quite honestly, Chanyeol doesn’t know if he’d be able to handle that.

It takes ten minutes for Chanyeol to shower and get dressed in his casual clothes, not really preferring to wear his sleepwear to anywhere or anytime before, well, sleep, and he makes it back to Yixing’s room before the fighter even finishes his shower. Sighing a breath of relief he didn’t know he was holding, Chanyeol easily makes his way to the bed. He lies on the side he normally doesn’t see Yixing on and relaxes, feeling his damp hair soak into the pillow beneath his head. His dark roots are starting to show. Maybe Minseok can dye it again tomorrow.

Before he knows it, Chanyeol dozes off while staring at the ceiling and listening to Yixing hum in the shower. He didn’t know he did that, his voice soft but melodious, and it pulls Chanyeol under every minute he hears him. He’s fallen asleep by the time Yixing comes close to finishing because the next thing he knows, he wakes up to a water drop hitting his cheek.

“If you were going to shower this early, you might as well have joined me,” Yixing says, appearing wholly amused. He’s shirtless, distractingly so now that he’s all warm and clean, but when Chanyeol instinctively looks down to prop himself up against the headboard, he feels himself choke when he realizes Yixing’s only got a towel around his waist too. “Could’ve done those stuff you’ve probably haven’t heard of,” he jokes.

“Like sex?” Chanyeol blurts out, eyes widening as he quickly looks up to Yixing. “I mean,” he stutters, watching, as Yixing looks even more amused than before. “What?”

Yixing laughs then. He walks away to the closet at the other side of the room to grab clothes and Chanyeol doesn’t know if Yixing is simply comfortable with himself and his body and he’s used to it or if Yixing is just being a random tease. But when Yixing finds some of Chanyeol’s clothes to wear, again, he drops his towel and Chanyeol whips his head away so fast he almost falls off the bed at the movement.

“I meant ‘save water, save the planet’ stuff,” Yixing explains after he’s got his clothes on, voice sounding muffled for a few minutes. “You probably have never heard of that, considering how sheltered you are.”

Chanyeol frowns, feeling offended because he _has_ heard of that phrase from old digital articles, but when he turns back around to argue, he feels the words die in his throat when he sees Yixing in his clothes. It shouldn’t surprise him anymore, considering how long Yixing’s been living with him, but he looks stunning with his hair damp and hanging low in his eyes. He looks dangerous but swamped in Chanyeol’s pastel pink button-up. “How is that even possible?” he ends up asking, watching as Yixing huffs as he pushes his hair up and back out of his eyes. If anything, that makes him look even more attractive.

“What?” Yixing asks, walking over to climb onto the bed next to him. There’s too much space between them and Chanyeol wants to close the distance. But he doesn’t. He doesn’t think he can handle Yixing so close to him. He doesn’t think he even deserves it.

Yixing settles quietly before sighing softly. His eyes close when he sinks into the mattress and Chanyeol can’t help but smile at the sight. “Nothing,” he says, settling back against the headboard comfortably. He just sits there, eyeing Yixing for a moment longer, before looking away and towards anywhere else in the room.

Silence falls between them, as it always had, and Chanyeol wonders how life would be like if there weren’t societal standards. What would life be like if he met Yixing at a social function? In those classy bars with the neon-colored drinks or the old time millennial music? He wonders so long, gets lost in his thoughts, that he doesn’t even register himself drifting away back off to sleep when Yixing speaks up again.

“What if you removed the transponder for me?” he asks. Chanyeol barely hears it, a soft murmur in the back of his mind, but when he tilts his head to face Yixing, the other is looking at him with a mixture of seriousness and curiosity. “If you remove it from me, then Minseok won’t have to do it. He won’t be breaking his protocols because he won’t know about it.”

The first thing that crosses Chanyeol’s mind is ‘what’s a transponder?’ The second thing that crosses his mind is ‘oh, wait, I know what that is. The third thing that crosses his mind is confusion. All of it must show on his face, too, before Yixing’s expression turns more amused than serious.

“What are you thinking about?”

Chanyeol isn’t sure if it’s because of how tired he is, how many hits his body has taken and his body trying to react and heal to it, but he’s starting to think it’s because he’s talking to Yixing. Yixing, who is human and expressive and actually wonderful. “What life would be like without our society’s standards,” he answers, watching as Yixing’s eyes widen at his words. He doesn’t say anything else though. He’s too tired to say anything else.

But he watches how Yixing stares at him. He can see how the other searches his eyes, his facial expression. He doesn’t know what he’s trying to find but with a few blinks, Chanyeol is already on the verge of falling asleep. “Do you mean what life would be like if you weren’t rich and I was poor?” Yixing suddenly asks, causing Chanyeol to blink his eyes open one more time. Yixing’s gaze is burning, creating holes in Chanyeol’s body probably only he could fill at this point. “Or, simply, what life would be like in another world, with or without me in it?”

Chanyeol’s back aches. He shimmies down the bed, trying to get more comfortable, and if he wasn’t so tired, he’d catch the amused gaze of his friend–his partner?–towards him. He sighs when he feels his back stretch, straightening into its proper position, and he turns onto his side closer to Yixing when he hears him speak again.

“Chanyeol,” Yixing calls and Chanyeol can’t keep himself from drifting off. A rough hand touches his cheek and he opens his eyes long enough to stare up at Yixing, his face closer than it was before. “I need to know,” he says, voice a whisper. His lips look so inviting at this angle, so soft. Chanyeol still wants to know what they feel like. “Chanyeol, before Minseok comes knocking on our door, would you be willing to remove the transponder in my head?”

Removing things, anything, sobers Chanyeol up enough to think about it more clearly. He blinks up at Yixing, feels the hand on his cheek guide him until he’s more awake, and he finally understands the weight of the question hanging in the air around them. Yixing wants him to remove any part of EVOLVE from him, whether it’s the small chip in his head or the entirety of his training in his body, and he trusts him to do it. “We can convince Minseok–” he starts to say, gasping when he feels Yixing’s thumb move to gently cradling his face underneath his chin.

“I trust Minseok as much as I have come to trust you,” Yixing answers quietly, his stare towards him softening. “But Minseok won’t break his protocols. He won’t intentionally put you in danger. It’s against his programming.”

Instinctively, Chanyeol looks to Yixing’s left ear, where he knows the scar lays. “I could mess up,” he murmurs, trying to come up with an excuse. He knows he can’t mess up. It’s in his blood to never mess up, never do things wrong in case of ruining everything his family has tried to build up, but he doesn’t want to hurt Yixing anymore than he already has.

“A Park has the knowledge and skill to remove something so small,” Yixing retorts, though he releases his hold on him and moves away back to his side of the bed. Chanyeol wants to whine at the loss, to chase his warmth, but he stays put, staring at Yixing. There’s a small smile on the fighter’s face now, as he stares back. “My confidence in you is as much as you have in me during fights. It doesn’t have to be today, but it’s an alternative.”

Before Chanyeol can even get comfortable, he moves closer. He can see the way confusion etches itself into Yixing’s face, curiosity swirling in his eyes, and Chanyeol doesn’t stop until he’s close enough to lie half on top of him. He props himself up on his elbow, reaching out to gently turn Yixing’s head to the side, and he stares at the scar behind his left ear. With each day, the lines fade even more, but he can still see it. He reaches out to touch it, feel something foreign faint underneath the skin, and he doesn’t register Yixing’s held breath until he sighs it out, shaky.

“I can try,” Chanyeol murmurs, mulling over the percentages and probabilities in his head. It comes as second nature to him, after all the work he’s had to learn how to do, and it should be simple enough with some rubbing alcohol, a small knife, tweezers, and towels and water. It’s a simple extraction that should cause minimal harm but give Yixing one of the best things he’s ever had in a long time.

“It has to be when Minseok isn’t aware,” Yixing murmurs. Chanyeol nods, agreeing, already thinking about the next time Minseok will have to recharge. “Also, if you don’t move away soon, I could probably kiss you.”

Chanyeol freezes. His heart flips and he hastily glances down to see Yixing staring up at him, boring holes into his head. The fighter is staring at his lips, noticeably so, and Chanyeol scrambles back to his side of the bed, feeling his cheeks heat up with– he doesn’t even know. “I apologize,” he says, glancing around the room, before settling on Yixing’s amused stare. There’s a hint of something else in there, mixing with the amusement, but Chanyeol doesn’t know what it is.

“There is no need for apology,” Yixing mechanically says, though his lips easily spread into a wide smile. He relaxes back against the bed, chuckling. “I don’t think I would mind kissing you, at least once in this life.”

At that, Chanyeol groans. It sounds like one of those old soap opera shows Minseok watches on his tablet when he’s finished all his chores hours before his usual time. “If we’re going to kiss, it better not be because of some dramatic moment. I never signed up to be an actor.” There’s more chuckling from Yixing’s side of the bed and Chanyeol pouts before he even knows he’s doing it.

“Wow, that’s attractive.”

Chanyeol quickly faces him then, pout falling away as his mouth opens in shock, but all Yixing is doing is staring at him like he could burn him if he could. He doesn’t know what to say to that–except, wow, you’re attractive too–but then Minseok is knocking on their door. It takes a few minutes for Chanyeol to react, forgetting that the door is closed for once, before he looks away and over to it. “Minseok, come in.”

A second later, Minseok opens the door and peeks his head in. His eyes are glowing a faint green, not trying to hide his curiosity at all at this point, and Chanyeol feels his cheeks fill with heat when he can see the beginnings of a sly smile on Minseok’s lips. “Dinner is ready,” the android announces, “Since you need that and all.” He stays there a moment longer, eyeing each of them, before he closes the door again.

It leaves behind an awkward silence for Chanyeol, one he can’t shake off, but then he looks to Yixing for answers, for any kind of explanation, and he can feel the tension melt from his body the moment Yixing gives him a small smile. “We just got comfortable,” he murmurs, though he gets up anyways. He walks around the bed to get to his side, coming in close, and Chanyeol eyes his hand when he extends it towards him. “Come on,” Yixing urges, before he hesitantly tries when he doesn’t move, “Chanyeol, get up.”

Almost immediately, Chanyeol moves. He swings his legs over the edge of the bed and grabs a hold of Yixing’s hand. When he looks up, ready to be helped up, he’s mesmerized by how Yixing is staring at him. He almost looks dazed, surprised, and Chanyeol frowns not understanding why. “Yixing,” he calls, watching as the other snaps out of it and pulls him up. For Yixing, it’s easy for him to do, taking a step back the moment Chanyeol stands.

There’s a gasp, a shaky exhale, and Chanyeol feels worry bubble in his chest as he keeps his eyes on Yixing. The fighter doesn’t say anything, only blinking his eyes trying to keep his focus, and Chanyeol yelps the moment Yixing reaches out and grabs his hand again. It’s more out of surprise than anything else, because in the next moment, Yixing is lacing their fingers together and Chanyeol swears he’s never felt his heart beat this fast before.

 

The entire time during dinner and the next few days, Minseok won’t stop eyeing them. In particular, Minseok won’t stop eyeing _him_ and Chanyeol doesn’t know whether to be flattered or annoyed by the special attention his android is giving him.

He’s in the middle of reviewing more documents, trying to finish as much as he can before the afternoon hours hit, and he tries to sneak in reading more about EVOLVE in between each batch. It doesn’t help though that Minseok won’t leave the room, watching more of his cartoons as he sits on the floor by the side table. He’s not even paying attention to him at this point, but it’s still making him wary about the entire situation.

Behind him, Yixing is sitting on his other table. It’s more of a side desk than anything else in the upstairs office, but it’s enough of a reason to sit there. He’s looking out over what he can of the city. “It’s actually pretty nice,” he confessed to Chanyeol the other day, taking to this spot every time they come in here. So far, it’s every day. Chanyeol wants Yixing to enjoy what he has and if he can provide it by moving locations, allowing him to use everything he has, then that’s what he’s going to do.

This desk, though, isn’t his recently upgraded one. It has a couple of setbacks but it isn’t enough of a deterrent to stop him from using it. It just takes a few seconds longer for everything to load, maybe it’ll glitch in between his fast scrolling, but that’s it. He switches between documents when he makes sure Minseok still isn’t paying attention to them, but he flinches when Yixing does, standing and moving in closer to be able to touch his arm.

“He really can’t hear anything?” Yixing asks quietly, staring at Minseok curiously.

Chanyeol shakes his head, signing his name on one of the files before swiping it away. Yixing’s hand doesn’t fall from his arm. “No,” he verbalizes, sighing, as he sees something from one of his employees in his stack. “He has the audio connected wirelessly into his head. So if I’m busy or he doesn’t want anyone around to hear what he’s watching, he just programs it to be like that to keep everything else around him silent.” The hand slips away and Chanyeol looks to Yixing curiously.

The fighter is still staring at Minseok, eyebrows furrowing in concern, but then all that fades away the moment he looks down at him too. Something soft and kind enters Yixing’s eyes, something almost fond, and Chanyeol feels his heart skip a beat when Yixing leans in and suddenly kisses his forehead. It catches him off-guard, feeling heat race through his body at an alarming speed, but then Yixing is pulling away and sending him a mischievous smile before settling back on his perch behind him.

Chanyeol’s frozen still, trying to comprehend what just happened, but then his desk rings and it scares the hell out of him. He scrambles to find something he doesn’t even know he’s looking for before he rolls his eyes, trying to compose himself. “Ray, who is it?” he asks his desk, watching the sound visualizer move.

“Kyungsoo, sir.”

“Answer.” It doesn’t take more than a few seconds for Kyungsoo’s voice to crackle through before it clears, evident of how old this desk is. He swears he only got it five years ago. “Hello, Kyungsoo.”

“Oh, good,” Kyungsoo breathes in response, sounding relieved. It makes Chanyeol stare worriedly at the desk, feeling Yixing come up behind to stand next to him. He leans into his side as he stares at the visualizer and Chanyeol instinctively reaches up to wrap an arm around his slim waist. “The panel is requesting me to schedule you more than two fights a week now,” he informs, voice muffled for a second before clearing again. “Technically, you’ve only been fighting once every Friday, but they want to increase it.”

“For viewer ratings and scores?” Chanyeol asks in return, feeling Yixing’s hand gently caress the back of his head before reaching over slightly to lightly tug on his ear. It makes him wince, not used to the attention, but he lets him do whatever he wants.

“Pretty much,” Kyungsoo deadpans, “Plus, they want Baekhyun to take a break. Let him heal completely and efficiently before doing more fights.”

Yixing’s finger suddenly reaches out to trace the outside of his cheek and Chanyeol turns to look up at him confused. “It may be possible,” he answers, feeling bad for his friend and Baekhyun. He doesn’t want Yixing to fight unnecessary battles anymore though. “I will have Ray send over my current schedule.” Yixing isn’t even looking at him, more concentrated on Minseok in the corner of the room, but then he tugs harshly on Chanyeol’s ear that makes him gasp.

“That sounds great,” Kyungsoo answers, not hearing him in the slightest. “I think Jongdae has been wanting to spend some time with all of you again. If it’s alright with Minseok, let’s have dinner on Saturday.”

Chanyeol looks to his calendar then, reaching over to swipe everything away to see it, and hums. “Sounds good,” he says, glancing up to see Minseok completely immersed in his show. “He’s a little busy right now, but I’ll tell him later.”

“Alright,” Kyungsoo hums, “Then I’ll let you get back to work. I’ll send Ray the schedule of your fights as soon as it’s complete.”

“Okay,” Chanyeol answers before the call ends. He reaches over to swipe his calendar away, murmuring, “You know what to do, Ray,” before watching as his desk pulls up his schedule on its own before sending it to Kyungsoo. His desk goes carefully blank after that, returning to how it was before he answered the call, and Chanyeol sighs, leaning over into Yixing’s side.

Yixing is solid against him. It’s like he’s immovable, sturdy and strong, and Chanyeol relishes in the strength he finds in him. He’s a reminder of everything Chanyeol never was and more and Chanyeol thinks he admires him for it, maybe even something more. Then there’s that tug again, one Chanyeol completely forgot, and he winces as he pulls his face out of Yixing’s side. The fingers pulling at his ear don’t stop until he’s a good distance away but when he looks up to wonder _why_ , Yixing is smiling down at him, bright and happy.

“Even your ears are intriguing,” Yixing comments, even as he reaches up to run fingers through Chanyeol’s hair. “Minseok did a good job dying your hair again.”

At the call of his name, Minseok instantly looks up. His eyes return to their normal color and he tilts his head at them confused, the sounds of his show suddenly echoing in the large office. “What are you two doing?” he asks, and he sounds absolutely bewildered. He should be though, with the way Yixing keeps alternating running fingers through his hair and tugging on his ear.

“I honestly don’t know,” Chanyeol answers back, wincing, but he retaliates by letting his hand drop from Yixing’s side. He wraps it around the lower back of Yixing’s thigh closest to him and squeezes gently enough for Yixing to jump in surprise.

“Haven’t you noticed his ears protrude a bit more than other humans?” Yixing asks, glaring down at Chanyeol even though he doesn’t remove his hand. It’s not like Minseok can see his actions anyways.

“Of course,” Minseok answers, causing Chanyeol to whip his head to him, mouth gaping open. “However, apparently, that is one of Chanyeol’s attractive qualities, according to his employees.”

Yixing hums at that, drinking in the android’s words, and Chanyeol frowns at his android before frowning up at Yixing. He gently squeezes the back of his thigh again. “I have heard of no such thing,” he refutes, glaring over at Minseok, even though Yixing tugs his ear again. “Ow.”

Minseok rolls his eyes at them. “Sometimes, you two look like you have been married for years,” he shrugs his shoulders then, returning to watching his show. “But what would I know? I’m only a simple android.” He goes silent after that, easily becoming immersed in the characters in his tablet.

The words resound in Chanyeol’s head, making him feel embarrassed and adored all at once, and when he looks up to Yixing, he catches him staring at him again with that same fond look in his eyes. “Yixing?” he asks, wondering why this keeps happening more than usual. He gasps when Yixing gently cups his cheek with one hand, leaning down far enough to murmur in the ear he’s been abusing all this time.

“You’re inexplicably cute like this” is all that’s said to him, but then Yixing gently reaches out, to lightly grab his earlobe with his teeth, and Chanyeol all but groans at the feeling, eyes rolling in the back of his head. He can hear Yixing chuckle in his ear, making heat suddenly rush down, and his grip on the back of Yixing’s thigh tightens when he hears and feels a soft kiss where Yixing just attacked.

“Yixing,” Chanyeol gasps, feeling another soft kiss on the side of his neck, before the other moves away. When he opens his eyes, he sees a plethora of satisfaction and pride swelling in Yixing’s eyes. The fighter turns to glance at Minseok briefly, to make sure he hadn’t seen anything, but then Chanyeol catches a glimpse at the scar behind Yixing’s ear. “We need to remove your transponder,” he quietly says, still trying to calm his racing heart. It easily earns him Yixing’s attention and he can see the expressions drain from Yixing’s face until all that’s left are fear and worry.

“I thought you wouldn’t want to remove it,” Yixing murmurs, pulling his hands into himself. It worries Chanyeol, mimicking his actions until he’s no longer touching Yixing.

“Of course I want to remove it,” Chanyeol says, moving to stand up to prove a point. Even like this, Yixing doesn’t look any smaller though. His presence fills the room and it makes Chanyeol want to submit to him. Isn’t that weird? “Any type of medical action isn’t in my field though. Things could go horribly wrong if I do it.”

“I know. And I’m not forcing you to do anything about it,” Yixing replies, bringing his hand up to touch the scar behind his ear. It looks like he’s doing it unconsciously, gently scratching at it, and Chanyeol frowns as he reaches to pull Yixing’s hand away from his neck.

“I want to give you complete freedom.”

It’s a gradual change, one Chanyeol’s entranced by, and he watches as the fear and worry fade from Yixing’s eyes. Relief and exhaustion take their place and Chanyeol smiles softly when he feels Yixing move their hands until their fingers are linked together. “Freedom will come at a cost,” Yixing murmurs in warning, glancing over to Minseok to see he’s still not paying them an ounce of attention. “Will he come with us?”

Chanyeol follows his gaze, sitting back in his chair when Yixing tugs his hand down. “I hope so,” he answers. “Min– Ow.” The tug on his hand is harsher this time, taking his attention away from his android, and he looks up to Yixing, expecting to be able to reach out and hit him for pulling on his hand so hard. If he wanted his attention, he could’ve just said his– Oh.

There are lips on his. There are _soft_ lips on his and Chanyeol can’t help but gasp at the sudden sensation. Yixing’s free hand comes up to gently hold his head in place, fingers threading through the back of his hair for a better grip, and Chanyeol sighs softly as he’s guided in. His head is tilted up and Chanyeol melts into Yixing. He follows the way his lips move, molding against his own, and he feels safe, secured. He groans when Yixing gently pushes against him, further into his chair, and he whines when he feels Yixing lick along his bottom lip before moving away.

It takes a moment for Chanyeol to breathe, to realize what’s happened, but when he does, he opens his eyes. He tries to blink through the haze Yixing’s left him in and he feels inexplicably giddy when he sees just how affected Yixing looks too. His eyes are dark, warm, and Chanyeol feels his heart swell when Yixing leans down to give him another quick kiss on the lips.

“I’m not sorry” is the first thing that leaves Yixing’s mouth. He doesn’t look the least bit apologetic either, instead a proud smile on his lips, and it shocks Chanyeol into laughing, unable to help himself. “Minseok,” Yixing suddenly calls, earning the android’s attention.

Chanyeol can’t even look away from Yixing. He’s still laughing, feeling tears well in his eyes, but when Yixing grabs a hold of his chair to face Minseok, he can see his android staring at him mildly confused and heavily concerned. “Sir, what’s going on with you?” he asks, moving to stand. His tablet has been put on pause but the green of his eyes don’t fade. “Why are your endorphins so high? Although, if you’re laughing this much, it makes sense.”

Beside him, Yixing snorts. It makes Chanyeol go through another fit of laughter before he settles down again, slumping back into his chair. “It’s nothing,” Chanyeol answers, trying to reassure his android with a smile. It doesn’t work, but it doesn’t matter, not when Yixing is moving in close to rest an arm across his shoulders. It does make Minseok raise an eyebrow at them though, curious.

“I will start on lunch then,” Minseok informs, slowly, eyeing them like they’re doing something bad. In all honesty, they probably could be. “Yeah,” he drawls, “okay.” He keeps staring at them, even as he leaves the room, and it makes Chanyeol and Yixing burst into a fit of laughter. Minseok peeks his head back in, eyeing them, but then they stop and still until he leaves again.

When he does, they make sure to keep their laughter quiet. Yixing falls into Chanyeol’s side until Chanyeol tries to turn and accommodate him and he freezes when Yixing all but falls onto his lap. He can see the scar up close like this, feel Yixing moving to get comfortable on him, and Chanyeol sucks in a breath when he feels Yixing drag his hand to wrap around his waist. He tries not to pay too much attention to that though, instead reaching up with his free hand to touch the scar like he did the first time he tried clean away the dirt and blood on his face. Yixing sighs at his touch, relaxing against him.

“Removing the transponder may draw lots of blood,” Chanyeol murmurs. The scar has smoothed over by now. There’s no difference in the feel of Yixing’s skin underneath his fingertips and he drags them down his neck, trying to feel the wire there. “We’ll have to do it before our next fight.”

At the reminder, Yixing reaches forward to move files and documents around. “Ray,” he calls, searching for the updated calendar. “When is Chanyeol’s next fight scheduled for EVOLVE?”

“On Friday, sir. You have two fights scheduled: one at thirteen o’clock and another one at seventeen o’clock.”

“That’s in two days,” Yixing says, looking over his shoulder at him. “Will we be able to do that by then?”

Chanyeol shrugs, using his grip around Yixing’s waist to pull him closer. “It’s a simple extraction, is it not? It’s like executing a contract and ensuring it goes through successfully.” He catches Yixing’s confused gaze, the slight furrow to his eyebrows and frown on his lips, and he gives him a lopsided smile in return. “I will do this. I’m always successful in what I do.” He looks to his desk then, reaching out to pull up all the articles and papers from hidden databases Ray had been able to break through.

“A successful background doesn’t guarantee a successful future,” Yixing refutes, moving to stand up. Chanyeol tries to keep Yixing close to him, gently squeezing his waist, but he lets him go once Yixing takes another step away from him. “I’m going to go train,” he says, turning to give him a small smile. “You should come with. We may not be fighting in EVOLVE, but we need to be at our peaks anyways.”

There’s a moment where Chanyeol sits there, staring at him, and he thinks about finishing all the work he knows is due today. He has contracts to finalize and agendas to create for upcoming meetings. He needs to send all of it to Hakyeon, since the new clients visiting tomorrow prefer a live person representative, but then he glances at his desk once more before looking to Yixing who’s waiting for him. He makes his decision, and sighs.

“You know I’ll never catch up to you, right?” Chanyeol says, as he stands. He smiles when Yixing snorts at him. He needs to change his clothes.

Yixing shrugs, already leading the way. “As long as you keep fighting, right?”

**Author's Note:**

> so much more is planned for this ;)
> 
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> [twitter](https://mobile.twitter.com/xo_thefirst)


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